“The strategic concept we expect will and from the United States point of view must include addressing, what in the United States we refer to as ‘the pacing challenge’ of China, which is a more strategic challenge, including for Europe and we're seeing good signs, strong evidence that European countries do take this seriously and that will be addressed and strategic concept,” Wallander said during a virtual talk organized by the Atlantic Council.
The United States is looking for a strong and unified statement on the new security environment in Europe, in which the region is no longer viewed as an environment of peace but rather of “acute threat,” Wallander added.
In April, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the allience's "strategic concept" will for the first time address the alleged threat from Beijing, amid closer cooperation between China and Russia.
Stoltenberg also said NATO was "in the midst of a very fundamental transformation" and this major reset will entail the replacement of the relatively small "tripwire" presence on the alliance's eastern flank with stronger forces.