The NATO Strategic Evolution Framework
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This article examines how NATO has changed in the security environment that has emerged since 2022. It argues that the Russia–Ukraine War has not merely produced a temporary military response but has accelerated a broader process of strategic and institutional change within the Alliance. To examine this process, the article develops the NATO Strategic Evolution Framework (NSEF), which brings together five dimensions of change: military adaptation, political cohesion, technological transformation, industrial resilience, and geostrategic integration. These dimensions are examined as interconnected rather than separate areas of NATO policy, since developments in one can affect the effectiveness of the others. The article also considers the position of geographically important Allies, particularly Türkiye, within the changing Euro-Atlantic security architecture. Three scenarios are used to explore how these developments could evolve through 2035. The analysis suggests that NATO's future resilience will depend not only on military preparedness and defence spending, but also on political cohesion, industrial capacity, technological interoperability, and the ability to coordinate security priorities across different regions.
Author: Heydarov, Kanan
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225589208