NATO’S STRATEGIC ADAPTATION IN THE ERA OF SYSTEMIC RIVALRY: FROM COLLECTIVE SECURITY TO MULTI-DOMAIN DEFENSE

Abstract

Abstract. The article examines NATO’s institutional and strategic transformation in the context of the transition from a liberal post–Cold War order to an era of renewed systemic rivalry. It analyzes how the Alliance has shifted from a crisis-management and cooperative security paradigm toward a deterrence-centered strategy focused on collective defense, forward deployment, and multi-domain operational integration. Particular attention is devoted to NATO’s 2022 Strategic Concept, enlargement dynamics following Finland’s and Sweden’s accession, increased defense spending commitments, and the institutionalization of cyber, space, and resilience policies. The study argues that NATO’s recalibration reflects broader structural changes within the contemporary international security system, marked by the erosion of unipolarity, the resurgence of territorial revisionism, and the expansion of competition into hybrid and technological domains. The Alliance’s evolution demonstrates institutional resilience under systemic pressure and highlights its growing role as both a military alliance and a platform for security governance in a competitive multipolar environment.

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Received: 10.02.26 / Revised: 24.02.26 / Accepted: 18.03.26 / Published:30.03.26