Transatlantic Security Task Force

Confronting Perspectives and Developing New Ideas

Created in 2011 and led by the GMF Risk and Strategy team, the Transatlantic Security Task Force (TSTF) develops ideas for transatlantic security and defense cooperation. The TSTF brings together 25 to 30 high-level US and European experts, strategic thinkers, senior policymakers, and private-sector representatives to discuss national perspectives and priorities on current and rising security issues, and to recommend measures to strengthen policy coordination.

The TSTF convenes twice a year for high-level workshops and scenario exercises under the Chatham House rule. Event formats allow for frank discussions that can address sensitive issues and policy misunderstandings among transatlantic partners. GMF ensures that the conclusions are appropriately disseminated to stakeholders of the transatlantic relationship and are further discussed and debated in the other GMF forums.

Adapting Strategic Thinking to a New Transatlantic Context

GMF Risk and Strategy’s objectives align with increasing US and European demand for strengthening transatlantic understanding and cooperation in the security field. Political consensus is not guaranteed as both parties aim to better adapt their political, economic, and military priorities to the current strategic environment. The TSTF strives to forge consensus by exploring issues of grand strategy—such as transatlantic burden-shifting, the future of multilateral security cooperation, and European strategic autonomy—and specific and regional challenges including military cooperation in the Mediterranean Sea, governance of the Arctic, and defense industrial competition. The TSTF does not approach these challenges individually as they often overlap and impact one another, giving rise to a greater urgency for reinvigorating transatlantic security dialogue.

Advancing Transatlantic Cooperation in a Shifting Global Order

The TSTF stands out by approaching security not solely through a traditional Euro-Atlantic lens but as part of a dynamic global landscape shaped by Europe’s expanding defense responsibilities, evolving domestic political contexts, and the need for engagement beyond the transatlantic community. The project consequently addresses broader challenges.

• Europe’s Growing Security Responsibilities
  The TSTF provides a vital platform for policy discussions as Europe assumes greater responsibilities for its own defense. These include the political and financial costs of defense spending increase, the future of the transatlantic support to Ukraine, and NATO’s adaptation to remains a credible actor amid evolving security challenges in multiple geographic regions.
• Domestic Political Shifts Affecting Security Cooperation
  The TSTF emphasizes the effects of domestic developments in the United States and Europe on disrupting or strengthening security cooperation. The task force also examines the potential for political changes to shift policy priorities, affect alliance cohesion, or create new opportunities for collaboration.
• Beyond the Transatlantic Community
  With the global order shaped by multiplying crises and interlinked geographic theaters from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific, the TSTF explores opportunities for building broader coalitions with countries outside Europe and North America, These efforts include adapting transatlantic security cooperation to new partnerships and alliances, analyzing US and European geopolitical interests in other regions, and improving diplomatic engagement with countries that have adopted multi-alignment or hedging strategies.
   

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