The Global Institute for Strategic Research (GISR), in partnership with SETA, hosted a closed expert roundtable in Istanbul to examine the future of NATO amid shifting geopolitical dynamics and its potential ramifications for Middle Eastern security.

The discussion took place against the backdrop of heightened uncertainty following the 2024 US elections, where Donald Trump’s victory has reignited debates about America’s role in NATO. Participants analyzed competing narratives—from concerns over a potential US pivot to Asia to arguments that NATO could emerge stronger under renewed burden-sharing demands.

A key theme was NATO’s implications for the Middle East, where the alliance’s posture could influence regional stability, Türkiye’s strategic calculus, and broader security.