ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the question of Poland’s role in the Alliance and its contribution to North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s (NATO) security. From a Polish perspective, NATO’s commitment and reassurance in Central and Eastern Europe has been essential for the stability and regional security. It assesses Poland’s role in NATO and addresses the question about Warsaw’s ability to play a considerable part in a process of the transatlantic bargain renewal. The chapter argues that even six years after the war in Ukraine began, NATO–Russia relations remain damaged beyond easy ad hoc diplomatic fixes. It offers a discussion about future role of Poland in NATO, based on current challenges that the Alliance faces. The chapter examines possible alternatives for NATO, given its present focus on defense and deterrence while most of the member states have found themselves in the midst of emergencies that require non-military answers such as migration, terrorism, or the Covid-19 pandemic.
