This House of Lords Library briefing outlines recent NATO policy, including the increase in the deployment of forces in Eastern Europe since 2014. It also summarises recent comment on NATO preparedness in the face of external threats and the risk of fragmentation within the alliance.
NATO Alliance: Recent Developments (108 KB , PDF)
Current Deployment
The NATO Secretary General, Jens Stoltenberg, has described the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) as currently facing the greatest challenge to its security since the Cold War. Approximately 18,000 military personnel from member countries are engaged in NATO missions around the World, including in Afghanistan, Kosovo and the Mediterranean. Following the Russian annexation of Crimea in 2014, NATO has increased its presence in Eastern Europe, including the deployed on a rotational basis of four multinational battalions to the Baltic States and Poland.
2 Percent and 20 Percent Targets
The United States has recently renewed pressure on NATO partners to meet the commitment to spend above 2 percent of their gross domestic product of defence. In 2016, five countries met this target: the United States (3.61 percent); Greece (2.36 percent); Estonia (2.18 percent); the UK (2.17 percent); and Poland (2.01 percent).
NATO’s target is also that 20 percent of defence spending by member countries go towards equipment. In 2016, this target was met by 10 countries: Lithuania (27.65 percent); Luxemburg (27.24 percent); Poland (25.79 percent); Norway (25.08 percent); the United States (25.03 percent); France (24.48 percent); the UK (22.56 percent); Turkey (22.35 percent); Romania (20.40 percent) and Italy (20.24 percent).
NATO Alliance: Recent Developments (108 KB , PDF)
The US government has recently shifted its approach to Ukraine, engaging in direct negotiations with Russia regarding the conflict’s resolution, pursuing a minerals agreement with Ukraine, and temporarily halting military aid and intelligence sharing. During these developments, the UK government has reaffirmed its support for Ukraine through financial and military assistance, in addition to hosting a peace summit and committing further military aid.
The global landscape has changed significantly over the last couple of decades. This has led to questions about the UK’s current global standing and its ambitions. This briefing considers these issues in the context of the UK’s membership of international organisations, and its defence policy, foreign policy, and influence through soft power, the economy and aid spending.
Looking at lessons from the war in Ukraine, the House of Lords International Relations and Defence Committee found the UK is “under-prepared” to meet the growing threat from Russia. The committee called on the government to commit to increasing and better targeting its defence spending and to leveraging the UK’s alliances. The government’s strategic defence review is due to report in spring 2025.
