From East to East: Reconceptualization of NATO’s Eastern Flank Engagement in the Middle East

Abstract

The role of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its influence on the peace and conflict dynamic in the Middle East has always been a discussed and controversial issue. While the United States and the countries of the NATO Southern flank are active in the discussions on NATO engagement in the region, the perspectives of NATO Eastern flank countries is often forgotten. This work contributes to the discussion with a comparative analysis of four NATO member states from Central and Eastern Europe: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Romania and Poland. Their position is analysed based on their strategic interests and level of engagement in the Middle East, which leads to categorizing them within a created typology.