Ep. 122 Can NATO Survive? With Sten Rynning

At different engagements throughout the month, NATO allies will meet in Brussels and the Hague to discuss Ukraine and defence spending – with Trump’s team putting pressure on the Europeans to up their spending to 5% of GDP. But with the Americans wavering on the alliance as a whole, and these unrealistic spending targets, can NATO survive?

To find out, Arthur Snell speaks with Sten Rynning, professor and director of the Danish Institute for Advanced Study, University of Southern Denmark, and author of NATO: From Cold War to Ukraine, a History of the World’s Most Powerful Alliance. 

The duo discuss the origins and evolution of NATO, the significance of Article 5, NATO's complex relationship with France, and the challenges faced during the Afghanistan mission. Plus: the contentious issue of NATO's eastward expansion in the wake of the fall of the Soviet Union, and the Alliance's role in maintaining Order in the Post-War era. And as they conclude the discussion, they explore the future of European security architecture, the importance of America's role in NATO, and – to Order the Disorder – the need for a cohesive European defence strategy.

Producer: George McDonagh

Read Sten Rynning’s book, NATO: From Cold War to Ukraine, a History of the World’s Most Powerful Alliance

Watch The Paradox of the Anti-Semitic Boulder Attack

Listen to Arthur’s Behind The Lines Podcast