Towards Madrid and the New Strategic Concept
- English
- French
May 30, 2022
NATO’s security environment is undergoing many changes, accelerated in recent months by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. While the war has understandably dominated attention, the Alliance continues to plan for the future with the lead-up to NATO’s Madrid Summit in June. The prospect of a new Strategic Concept presents both opportunities and challenges as NATO recalibrates its strategic vision for the next decade and beyond.
On 30 May, the Research Division of the NATO Defense College hosted an expert workshop to explore a variety of topics ranging from the more immediate implications of Russia’s war in Ukraine to NATO’s future security environment. Participants exchanged views on three main themes:
- The Russia-Ukraine war and NATO
- The ensuing security environment and challenges ahead
- The future for NATO’s strategy and core tasks
The Commandant of the NATO Defense College, Lieutenant-General Olivier Rittimann, along with the Director of the Research Division, Dr Thierry Tardy, provided opening remarks setting the stage for the workshop. This included some historical background on NATO’s current Strategic Concept, which dates back to 2010, and an overview of the security threats facing the Alliance today. Former Deputy Assistant Secretary General Dr Jamie Shea gave a keynote speech on the purpose and process of developing a new Strategic Concept. The workshop then proceeded with three panel sessions moderated by Dr Marc Ozawa (NDC), Prof. Alexandra Gheciu (NDC and University of Ottawa) and Dr Thierry Tardy (NDC). Finally, the Dean of the NATO Defense College, Dr Chris Schnaubelt, offered some closing remarks, drawing insights from parallels to be found in situations that NATO faced in the past. The discussions will inform the future research and publications of the Research Division.