The international order is evolving quickly, with new cooperation mechanisms replacing inferior multilateral frameworks. One major trend has been the “minilateralization” of multilateralism, whereby nimble “coalitions of the willing” are being formed to deal with specific issues.

This trend raises serious questions for longstanding multilateral institutions, such NATO and the EU, in the domain of defense and security.

Minilateralism is about coalitions of states with like-minded goals. Instead of the traditional multilateralist approach, which strives for inclusiveness and building consensus across a large number of nations, minilateralism focuses on quick decision-making. This tactic is especially useful in large gatherings where conversation may become stale or in times of emergency when action is needed quickly.

Whereas minilateralism can improve collaboration on sensitive matters, it tends to give rise to worries about multilateral systems being splintered. A bias towards minilateral arrangements is also likely to lead to smaller, topic-specific coalitions which could destabilize the larger institutions that operate on the principles of collective security and mutual aid.

NATO has served as the bedrock of transatlantic security since 1949, holding that an attack against one is an attack against all, as stated in the alliance’s collective defense clause. Yet minilateralism is the new enemy of this principle. Recent years have witnessed a proliferation of minilateral military arrangements, ranging from........

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