BOLSTERING DETERRENCE & DEFENCE
Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has compelled NATO to direct the most significant strengthening of its deterrence and defence posture since the Cold War.
The Assembly has welcomed this necessary adaptation and highlighted the need for both urgent and lasting steps to bolster NATO’s deterrence and defence.
A declaration on accelerating NATO’s adaptation, authored by Vice-President Linda Sanchez (United States) and adopted by the Assembly ahead of NATO’s Summit in Vilnius, urged Allies “to operationalise a new approach to relations with Russia based on the Strategic Concept’s characterisation of Russia as the most significant and direct threat to Allies’ security” and “to accelerate the full implementation of the new baseline for NATO’s enhanced deterrence and defence posture.”
The Vilnius Summit thus marked a historic milestone in modernising NATO for a new era of collective defence. Notably, Allies agreed on the most detailed and robust regional defence plans since the Cold War and adopted an enduring and robust commitment to defence investment. They also endorsed a new Defence Production Action Plan to support sustainable Allied defence industrial capacity. The reports and resolutions adopted by the Assembly at its Annual Session in Copenhagen in October urge the prompt and full implementation of all aspects of NATO’s strengthened deterrence and defence posture.
In his report on Russia’s war against Ukraine and the strategic imperatives for NATO, Tomas Valasek (Slovakia) stresses “Most importantly, this adaptation entails delivering on robust forward defences and on the new Force Model.” He adds that “This should be backed up by all Allies meeting and sustaining the benchmark of at least 2% of GDP on defence, reinvigorating the defence industrial base, as well as sustaining credible nuclear deterrence.”
These recommendations are echoed in a resolution on delivering on the Vilnius Summit decisions, which, among others, urges Allies “to fully and swiftly deliver on their renewed defence investment commitment to invest at least 2% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) annually on defence, including at least 20% of defence budgets on major equipment, while recognising that the more contested security order will likely require expenditure beyond 2% of GDP.”
A resolution on implementing NATO’s new deterrence and defence baseline, authored by Utku Cakirozer (Türkiye), further emphasises that NATO’s deterrence and defence posture is “the backbone of Allies’ Article 5 commitment to defend each other.” It urges Allied governments “to implement fully and promptly NATO’s new force model to modernise NATO’s force structure to continue to strengthen its Eastern flank from the Baltic to the Black Seas, implement its new regional defence plans, and permit Allies to maintain a 360-degree approach to deterrence and defence.”
Russia’s war in Ukraine has served as a wake-up call for the Alliance. We can no longer underinvest in our collective security and in the security of our partners.
Utku Cakirozer (Türkiye) DSC General Rapporteur → Annual Session Copenhagen
Assembly members highlighted in particular the importance of strengthening the Alliance’s posture in the Black Sea and Baltic regions.
In the Baltic, “Allies must not just maintain, but also look to increase their presence,” writes Jeroen van Wijngaarden (Netherlands) in his report. They should also support efforts to finalise Sweden’s entry into NATO. “Sweden’s pending accession will further solidify NATO’s Northeast flank, anchoring the region’s cooperation as NATO Allies on all key security issues,” van Wijngaarden underlines.
Similarly, Russia’s unprovoked, renewed attack on Ukraine has highlighted the strategic significance of the Black Sea, notes Lord Lancaster (United Kingdom) in his report, which calls for a NATO Black Sea Strategy. The accompanying resolution urges Allies in particular “to foster increased investments in regional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets, long-range precision strike capabilities, improved coastal defence systems, new layered air and missile defences, increased air policing, and surface and subsurface naval vessels”.
Bolstering the Alliance’s deterrence and defence posture for the long term will require sustained defence investment, as well as strengthening the Allied defence industrial base, stresses Mr Cakirozer in his report. “A clear lesson from Russia’s war in Ukraine is that NATO Allies must rebuild their defence industrial bases,” the report stresses. “Achieving the goals of the Defence Production Action Plan, however, will be an enduring challenge requiring sustained political will and investment over the long term,” he warns.
Assembly activities in Allied countries (Finland, Germany, Iceland, Canada, Norway, Poland, Romania, Türkiye, the United Kingdom and the United States in March and June) showcased these Allies’ contribution to NATO’s strengthened deterrence and defence posture.