The summit of Nato leaders in Riga next week will be more important than the alliance’s usual biennial summit. The decisions taken there will be vital not only to the future activities of the Atlantic alliance but also to its long-term prospects as a relevant organisation.

On the face of it, Nato is doing better than could have been expected in the wake of the Iraq crisis. In recent years, the alliance has successfully incorporated 11 new members and the attractions of eventual membership remains a powerful motivator in the countries of the Balkans and the Caucasus. Nato’s contribution to regional stability has been and continues to be crucial in the former Yugoslavia.