A political marketplace: NATO and the nuclear non-proliferation agreements

Abstract

The article explores NATO's role in the formulation and management of nuclear non-proliferation policies, particularly in relation to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Utilizing an eclectic approach informed by Hedley Bull’s English School, the analysis delves into NATO, conceptualized as a political marketplace and a broker fostering coordination among member states. Through historical case studies, including NATO's nuclear arrangements in the 1960s, the NPT negotiations and the Euromissile crisis, the paper illustrates NATO's pivotal role in both moderating the spread of nuclear weapons and integrating non-nuclear states, such as Germany, into the Western security framework. Despite its limitations—such as the failure of the U.S. to achieve supranational control over nuclear policies—NATO’s extended deterrence and nuclear-sharing arrangements have proven instrumental in curbing proliferation. Lastly, while critiques of deterrence's relationship to proliferation remain, NATO’s approach, though imperfect, has contributed significantly to the creation of a non-proliferation regime. In light of recent developments, including Russia's aggression against Ukraine and the weakening of nuclear arms control regimes, NATO’s continued role remains essential in supporting non-proliferation principles, despite ongoing debates about nuclear modernization and burden-sharing.