NATO Expansion and the Rimland: A Geopolitical Assessment

Abstract Nicholas Spykman’s rimland theory suggests Eurasia's coastal periphery has a strategic advantage in controlling heartland power with the ability to maintain a balance globally. This is an assessment of NATO’s expansion efforts since the end of the Cold War as seen through the lens of the rimland and how the expansion into Eastern Europe and the Baltic States has altered the world's geopolitical dynamics. This review is based on a number of academic sources and evaluates NATO's position as a buffer against Russia’s resurgence and its implications on the rimland as demonstrated in the Ukraine conflict and hybrid threats. The assessment will also evaluate how NATO's expansions have contributed to multipolar stability and address criticisms of NATO's expansions as provocative and over extended. The results indicate NATO's use of the rimland strategy is a continuation of classical geopolitics adapted for today's challenges such as cyber warfare and energy security, resulting in a robust alliance framework. Overall, the geopolitical analysis demonstrates the continued value of rimland control in counteracting heartland revisionism.