February 2025
Issue brief: A NATO strategy for countering Russia Through military aggression, annexation, subversion and sabotage, Russia continues to undermine the security of Europe and the United States. A NATO strategy is necessary to effectively counter this threat going forward. Written by Ian Brzezinski
Key takeways
Resident Senior Fellow, Transatlantic Security Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security
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Russia is the most direct and significant threat to the security of NATO member states—and since Moscow’s invasion of Georgia in 2008 this threat continues to grow. It now encompasses the war in Ukraine, the militarization of the Arctic, hybrid warfare, and violations of arms control treaties.
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While NATO holds a significant advantage over Russia in military and economic power, an effective and unified strategy is needed to counter Russia’s aggression and fully harness the Alliance’s collective capabilities.
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To effectively counter Russia, NATO must defeat Russia in Ukraine, deter Russian aggression against NATO allies and partners, contain Russian influence beyond its borders, and degrade Russia’s ability and will to accomplish its revisionist agenda. That will require, among other actions, a significant increase of support and commitment to Ukraine’s defense against Russia, and a more robust Alliance force posture including the modernization of its nuclear deterrent, the permanent stationing of brigade elements along NATO’s eastern frontier and increased defense industrial capacities.
Ryan Arick Associate Director, Transatlantic Security Initiative, Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security
Russia is “the most significant and direct threat to Allies’ security.” So states the NATO Strategic Concept promulgated at the Alliance’s Madrid Summit in June 2022, just four months after Russia’s massive escalation of its invasion of Ukraine.1 The concept and NATO declarations not only underscore the illegality and brutality of that ongoing attack but also highlight Moscow’s use of nuclear and conventional military aggression, annexation, subversion, sabotage, and other forms of coercion and violence against NATO allies and partners. Ever since its invasion of Georgia in 2008, Russia’s aggression against the Alliance has steadily intensified. This led NATO leaders at their 2024 Washington Summit to task the development of “recommendations on NATO’s strategic approach to Russia, taking into account the changing security environment.”2 The Alliance’s “Russia strategy” is due for consideration at NATO’s next summit at The Hague in June 2025.3
ATLANTIC COUNCIL
1.
“NATO Strategic Concept,” June 29, 2022, https://www.nato.int/strategic-concept/.
2.
Washington Summit Declaration, issued by NATO heads of state and government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Washington, DC, July 10, 2024, https://www.nato.int/cps/ar/natohq/official_texts_227678.htm.
3.
Washington Summit Declaration.
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