NATO’s stability faces challenges from US shifts and global threats; defense investment is crucial for transatlantic security.
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Javier Colomina, a prominent NATO diplomat, asserts that international relations are currently highly unstable, making the NATO’s role in ensuring Atlantic stability more crucial than ever due to increased threats. He conveys three main messages to Spain: reassurance regarding the White House commitment to NATO, an urgent call for increased defense spending, and a warning against neglecting the risks posed by the Southern Flank. Regarding the transatlantic bond, Colomina confirms that despite public doubts fueled by figures like Donald Trump, private discussions with US officials confirm their commitment to a strong NATO and Article 5. He stresses that while the US remains essential due to its unique military capabilities and nuclear umbrella, Europe must strengthen its own pillar. Concerning Ukraine, European efforts are underway to provide security guarantees, but he insists US contributions—including deterrence, intelligence, command, and logistics—are indispensable. For the upcoming NATO summit, key topics will likely include Ukraine, industry, and defense investment, with expectations that spending targets may rise above 2% of GDP. Colomina views the European rearmament plan as complementary to transatlantic capabilities rather than a replacement for them. On the Southern Flank, he warns that instability in the Sahel threatens the Mediterranean through terrorism and migration, urging consistent focus from allies like Spain, Italy, and Portugal. He cautions that when Western powers retreat, rivals like Russia and China are poised to advance. Finally, while acknowledging public pressure, Colomina advises focusing on long-term security strategies rather than short political cycles, stating that a non-US military leader in NATO is currently improbable due to the indispensable US military power.
