NATO is a political and military alliance that has been a suc- cessful example of an international structure, able to demon- strate both national and institutional strength. Formed for the collective defence against a common enemy, NATO did not dissolve when the Warsaw Pact disappeared, although its po- litical unity has begun to fade. The vulnerability – particularly of European citizens – that arises from a weak EU, weak national resolve and a weakened NATO is enormous when a combination of hostile actors and larger impersonal trends converge against Europe. In this, material elements such as wealth and military capa- bilities are, of.
