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Expert comment: Is NATO brain-dead?

World leaders have landed in the UK ahead of a two day NATO summit to mark the 70th anniversary of the military alliance. However are we starting to see the NATO alliance fall apart?

Professor Anthony King from the Department of Politics and International Studies at the University of Warwick comments:

"Emmanuel Macron recently claimed that NATO is brain-dead. At 70, and as the US seem to be withdrawing from the Alliance, NATO is now senile and perhaps dying. The current NATO conference in London is an important moment in the history of the Alliance.

"The Alliance certainly faces serious challenges; increased threat from Russia, an erratic and critical White House, a volatile Turkey and a defenceless Europe. However, although the conference will be fractious at times, it is unlikely we are witnessing the death of NATO.

"Even if Mr Trump earns a second term, it is unlikely he will be able to withdraw the US from NATO; not least, because the US military, who are increasingly opposed to his administration, are against it. However, NATO will and indeed already has evolved.

"Under the administrative umbrella of NATO, genuine universal collective defence has been slowly superseded by deeper bilateral military coalitions between the US and Poland, the US and the UK, and the UK and France. The key questions for NATO's future is whether European states will re-arm and what position Turkey will take."

ENDS

3 DECEMBER 2019

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Alice Scott
Media Relations Manager - Science
University of Warwick
Tel: +44 (0) 2476 574 255 or +44 (0) 7920 531 221
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Alice Scott
Media Relations Manager - Science
University of Warwick
Tel: +44 (0) 2476 574 255 or +44 (0) 7920 531 221
E-mail: alice.j.scott@warwick.ac.uk