How stable is NATO? While the Presidency of Donald Trump has drawn significant attention to the future of the alliance, the rise of similar far-right ideologies in Europe presents a similar, yet less publicized threat to NATO. Ahead of the 2027 French presidential elections, Jonah Moffatt uses the Rassemblement National as a case study to assess the impact of a victory for the right on NATO cohesion and Canadian foreign policy interests.
How does Russia fund its war economy? In this piece, Jonah Moffatt examines how Russian influence in the African Sahel has created sanction-proof revenue streams that allow Moscow to fuel the war in Ukraine, while contributing to a climate of instability in NATO’s backyard. He argues that Canada, a leader in international mining, can counter Russia’s destabilizing influence in Africa by increasing economic partnerships with Sahelian states, emerging as an unlikely leader of NATO’s southern strategy.
As Ottawa revisits its commitment to purchase 88 F-35A fighter jets, Jonah Moffatt argues that renewed hesitation signals strategic indecision and that a mixed fleet including the less advanced Saab JAS-39 Gripen would dilute Canadian airpower. If Canada seeks to lead within NATO and fulfil its middle-power ambitions, it is necessary to ground credibility in capability and avoid prioritizing political considerations over long-term security interests.
Following the American intervention in Venezuela, Jonah Moffatt assesses the “Trump Corollary” outlined in the 2025 National Security Strategy, and what this hemispheric vison of security means for the long-contested Northwest Passage. He argues that through diplomatic coordination with its Nordic allies, Canada can utilize the forum and frameworks of NATO to protect its national interests while emerging as a leader of multilateralism in a time of uncertainty.