Although founded primarily to protect the Atlantic democracies against the Soviet Union, NATO has survived the end of the Cold War by adapting itself to new missions such as peacekeeping in the Balkans. Two key issues lie ahead in mapping out NATO's future. The first is whether to continue the process of NATO enlargement. In 1999, Poland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic joined the alliance, establishing the expansion of NATO as the main vehicle for constructing a new Atlantic security order.
Debate is now underway about a second wave of enlargement.
Slovenia, Romania, and Slovakia are the leading candidates. How to manage NATO's relationship with Russia is a key stumbling block to future waves of enlargement, especially if they include the Baltic states. In addition, it remains unclear whether the Senate and the American people will be prepared to extend further the scope of U.S. defense guarantees in Europe. The second key issue looming on the horizon is the balance of responsibility between Europe and the United States. America's dominant role in carrying out NATO's military campaign to drive Yugoslav forces from Kosovo revealed Europe's glaring dependence on the United States.