NATO’s future: a history
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- NDC Outlook 02-2025: NATO’s future: a history, by Bruno Tertrais *

Summary
- Past pessimism about the solidity and survivability of the Alliance turned out to be misplaced, but assumptions about some of its fundamental tenets were not always correct.
- Doomsayers have been proven wrong. Internal tensions and external challenges have never brought the Alliance to a breaking point.
- After 75 years of existence, NATO appears to be a historical anomaly. A few lessons to ensure its longevity stem from this retrospective. NATO would be wise to stick with its core mission: deterrence and defense against an armed attack. Attempts to alter the rules and procedures of the Alliance risk endangering its foundations.
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* (back) Deputy Director, Fondation pour la recherche stratégique