IDEAS TO IMPLEMENTATION: PRIORITIES FOR NATO’S VILNIUS SUMMIT - More than a year after Russia’s brutal, illegal, and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine, the transatlantic community remains at a critical juncture. Looking towards the Vilnius Summit in July 2023, NATO must urgently deliver on its reaffirmed commitment to Euro-Atlantic collective security and its reinforcement of the Eastern Flank in the face on ongoing Russian aggression. At the same time, it needs to prepare for an evolving security environment that includes emerging challenges like China, climate change, and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

How can NATO move from a Summit of Ideas in Madrid to a Summit of Implementation in Vilnius? What concrete steps should NATO take to reinforce the Eastern Flank as part of a strategy of deterrence by denial? How can the Alliance defend against both immediate and long-term threats? What role should the United States and its allies and partners play in supporting Ukraine, and how can NATO reinforce its commitment to an “open door policy” for prospective new members?

To address these questions, the Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative, in the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security, in partnership with the Ministry of National Defense of the Republic of Lithuania, hosted a public conference, “From Ideas to Implementation: Priorities for NATO’s Vilnius Summit” on Friday, May 5, at the Atlantic Council’s headquarters .

ORIGINAL AIRDATE: 05/05/23