Research Paper 108: "NATO-Mongolia relations: limited in scope, but with room to grow", by Robert Helbig.
Mongolia entered into a formal partnership with NATO without much fanfare in 2012. This step was a result of Mongolia’s contribution to NATO’s missions as well as its desire to build closer relations with organizations and countries beyond Russia and China.
Drawing on field research in Ulaanbaatar and Brussels, the new Research Paper by the Research Division analyzes Mongolia’s foreign policy, the evolution of its relations with NATO, and the prospects of advancing cooperation with the Alliance.
Landlocked between two great powers, Mongolia is forced to carefully manoeuver in difficult political terrain. NATO itself is just a small piece of the broader construct that Ulaanbaatar is trying to keep in balance. Therefore, the future of the partnership will not only depend on Mongolia’s and NATO’s interests, but also on external factors that shape Mongolia’s complex strategic environment. The fact that the 2014 Wales Summit declaration included Mongolia as a member of NATO’s new Partnership Interoperability Initiative highlights the importance that the Alliance places on continuing close relations with Ulanbaatar.
Dr Jeffrey Larsen, Division Head Research
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