Event

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While fretting about the health of the Western alliance is hardly new, concerns regarding its durability have reached new heights on both sides of the Atlantic with the advent of the second Trump Administration. The most recent NATO summit however ended early and amicably, with agreement on the European need to raise military expenditures to 5 percent of GDP.

How can we explain this apparent shift in the Trump Administration’s attitude towards NATO and what are its strategic consequences? Is the Western alliance drifting apart, or is it growing stronger?

These questions and more will be discussed in the NUPI seminar ‘Why America needs Europe’. Professor Ethan B. Kapstein will argue that, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, European rearmament policies are bringing the Atlantic Alliance to a “new equilibrium,” — one in which the NATO-Europe member states are becoming increasingly valuable strategic partners to the United States.

The seminar will be followed by a discussion between Professor Kapstein and Research Professor Karsten Friis (NUPI), moderated by Research Professor Marianne Riddervold (NUPI and Arena – centre for European Studies at the University of Oslo). 

About Professor Ethan B. Kapstein:

Ethan B. Kapstein teaches at the School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, where he is Executive Director of the Empirical Studies of Conflict Project (esoc.princeton.edu). Currently he is Visiting Scholar at Sciences Po and a Research Associate of the Institute for Advanced Studies in National Defence, both in Paris. Kapstein works at the intersection of economics and national security, and he has done research in many conflict-affected countries around the world, including in Afghanistan, Colombia, and the Philippines, and across Africa. His most recent book is Exporting Capitalism: Private Enterprise and U.S. Foreign Aid, while his current research focuses on economic relations among military allies. Kapstein is a former U.S. naval officer who has also served as a Principal Administrator at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and as a U.S. government economist. He has also served as a consulting economist for international organizations and multinational corporations around the world.

The event will take place at NUPI (New address: Rosenkrantz’ gate 22, 4th floor) and lasts from 09:00 to 10:00. A light breakfast will be served from 08:30.

The event will also be streamed live to our YouTube channel. No registration needed for digital participation.

Participants

Ethan B. Kapstein

Professor

Karsten Friis

Research Professor

Moderator

Marianne Riddervold

Research Professor (part time)

Related projects

Research project

2025 - 2027 (Ongoing)

Changing transatlantic security relations: Implications for Europe and Norway (TransatDefence)

Transatlantic relations are the cornerstone of Norway’s security and defence. Against the backdrop of the United States (US)’ ‘pivot to Asia,’ the increasing polarization of US foreign...

• Defence
• Security policy
• NATO
• Europe
• North America
• The EU

• Defence
• Security policy
• NATO
• Europe
• North America
• The EU