NATO, Russia and European security. Centre for European Reform, November 2009

How should NATO react to a resurgent Russia? Countries in Europe’s north and east worry that Moscow is blundering into a confrontation with the alliance, and they have demanded that NATO start drafting contingency plans and hold exercises to rehearse a possible war. Their calls predate, but have intensified since the conflict between Russia and Georgia in August 2008, which scared allies in Central Europe in particular. Their concerns are partly shared by countries in Europe’s north, like Norway. Many of its defence experts fear that Moscow may use military force to assert control over the Arctic’s energy resources.