NATO opportunities in the MENA region in the context of the Russian threat

Authors

  • Teodora-Ioana MORARU “Nicolae Bălcescu” Land Forces Academy

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53477/2284-9378-25-05

Keywords:

NATO, MENA, Russian Federation, Euro-Atlantic security, prospective study.

Abstract

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region represents a geopolitical space marked by instability, strategic competition and the influence of global actors, including the Russian Federation, which has strengthened its presence through economic and military partnerships, as well as information influence campaigns. In this context, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) can adopt new strategies to expand its engagement in the region, aiming to counter these dynamics and reduce Russia’s ability to destabilize Euro-Atlantic security.
This study employs prospective analysis methods, specifically the RVAP-O framework (Risks, Vulnerabilities, Threats and Opportunities) to identify the main challenges and possible courses of action in the MENA region and the environmental scanning/horizon scanning (ES/HS) method to assess their shortterm impact. Thus, the research examines the extent to which NATO’s involvement in MENA can alter the balance of power and reshape the Russian Federation’s strategic priorities, thereby limiting its operational capabilities in the Euro-Atlantic space.

Author Biography

Teodora-Ioana MORARU, “Nicolae Bălcescu” Land Forces Academy

Teodora-Ioana Moraru joined the “Mihai Viteazul” National Intelligence Academy in Bucharest as a postgraduate student in 2023, after earning her bachelor's degree from the “Nicolae Bălcescu” Land Forces Academy, with a thesis entitled „Relația dintre dimensiunile culturale naționale și formarea culturii de securitate a viitorilor ofițeri”.

Teodora has focused her research on security studies and regional security dynamics, with particular emphasis on national security strategies, transnational threats, information warfare, and the impact of conflict and migration on European stability. Since joining the “Mihai Viteazul” National Intelligence Academy, she has contributed to the academic discourse through publications and research projects that explore contemporary security challenges, the role of intelligence in defense policies, and evolving risk factors in the European security landscape.

Her most notable publications include “Romania and Poland under the Intersectionality Lens. A Cross-National Comparative Analysis of National Security Strategies” published in Romanian Military Thinking (Issue no. 2/2023), “The Impact of the Ukrainian Refugee Wave on Regional Security. Risk Assessment and Evolving Scenarios”, published in the Proceedings of the International Scientific Conference Strategies XXI (Volume XVIII/2022), and “The Russian-Ukrainian Conflict Through the Lens of International Humanitarian Law”, published in Studia Securitatis (Issue no. 1/2022). She has also contributed to intelligence studies with “Incursiune într-un joc dublu al mistificării și diseminării de informații pentru identificarea indicatorilor de trădare” published in Intelligence and Security Culture (Volume 1/2022) and has examined liberal perspectives on identity and security, as reflected in her review of Francis Fukuyama’s “Identity: The Need for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment”, published in Monitor Strategic (Issue no. 1-2/2024).

For a complete list of publications, see: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=N4VMnwgAAAAJ&hl=ro&oi=ao

 

 

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Published

2025-04-03

How to Cite

MORARU, T.-I. . (2025). NATO opportunities in the MENA region in the context of the Russian threat. BULLETIN OF "CAROL I" NATIONAL DEFENCE UNIVERSITY, 14(1), 74–89. https://doi.org/10.53477/2284-9378-25-05

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Articles

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