Improving Cooperation with Allies and Partners

With the support of the Smith Richardson Foundation, CSIS research is assessing how the United States can work with key allies and partners against China, Russia, and other leading U.S. competitors

Allies are at the center of U.S. efforts to counter China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia and to otherwise ensure America’s security. Indeed, close ties to allies are a notable U.S. competitive advantage compared with potential adversaries. Yet, these allies often are not given timely and detailed intelligence against shared threats and are excluded from strategic planning even though their own roles are often central to U.S. plans. In addition, U.S. arms sales and other forms of security assistance often involve cumbersome procedures, denying allies important capabilities or at least delaying their integration.

A failure to properly incorporate the perspectives, interests, and capabilities of allies could weaken regional deterrence, undermine assurance of allies, and require far more blood and treasure from the United States should conflict break out. Better cooperation, in contrast, can increase the credibility of U.S. commitments, improve the performance of coalition operations, reduce the cost to U.S. taxpayers, and advance U.S. interests.

This CSIS series, supported by the Smith Richardson Foundation, examines U.S. relationships with key allies from the perspectives of both sides. This project also offers actionable recommendations for how the United States can improve cooperation with its allies to increase burden sharing, improve warfighting, and strengthen deterrence.

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Photo: TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images

Photo: TED ALJIBE/AFP/Getty Images

Improving Cooperation with Allies and Partners in Asia

Despite the shared threat from China, U.S. cooperation with actual and potential allies in Asia is uneven and fitful.

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Brief by Daniel Byman — May 20, 2025

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Overcoming the Barriers to Forward Deterrence

The United States relies on its unmatched network of allies to help fill gaps in U.S. industrial capacity and capability. But a variety of regulatory barriers inhibit cooperation and create challenges for allies who want to purchase from or work with the United States.

Commentary by Cynthia R. Cook and Audrey Aldisert — July 1, 2025

Strengthening NATO Starts with Fixing Its Industrial Base

The transatlantic defense industrial base has long been fragmented and inflexible. The NATO summit presents an opportunity to address key factors that keep arms sales, technology transfer, and defense industrial cooperation ill-suited to meet current security demands.

Commentary by Audrey Aldisert — June 24, 2025

How NATO Can Support the United States in Asia

NATO members can, and should, play an important role in the event of a crisis over Taiwan, in the Philippines, or other confrontations with China.

Commentary by Iselin Brady and Daniel Byman — June 23, 2025

Improving U.S. Intelligence Sharing with Allies and Partners

As the U.S. prepares to compete with China and other adversaries, intelligence sharing with key partners will be vital. In practice, however, intelligence sharing is beset with difficulties, including limited trust, poor bureaucratic procedures, and under-resourcing.

Report by Daniel Byman — January 28, 2025