UN-NATO partnership in peacekeeping missions: Joint reform prospects for global security

Oleksandr Kuchyk; Orest Hohosha; Bohdan Hud; Iryna Malyk; Rostyslav Hud

doi:10.31893/multiscience.2026454

Keywords:

international cooperation

NATO

threats

security institutions

institutional mechanisms

Abstract

One of the key mechanisms for supporting international peace and security is the UN-NATO partnership in peacekeeping missions. The relevance of the study is determined by the growing number of international conflicts, the increasing complexity of their nature, and the urgent need to improve cooperation mechanisms between leading security institutions to ensure effective resolution of global crises. The aim of the study was to assess the partnership between the UN and NATO in peacekeeping missions and provide recommendations on the necessary reform of approaches to global security. The study employed the methods of systemic, graphical, content analysis, quantitative, and comparative analysis. The results of the study based on the 9 studied operations showed that the operational effectiveness of peacekeeping missions increases in the course of the UN-NATO partnership. The diplomatic and humanitarian experience of the UN is complemented by the military potential of NATO, which enhances the effectiveness of joint operations. Training of UN peacekeepers with the NATO’s support and the exchange of intelligence increase the operational potential of missions. At the same time, strategic differences between institutions complicate the joint management of missions. The lack of defined information exchange mechanisms is still one of the key problems. The results of the study can be applied in shaping of political strategies, improving the mechanisms of peacekeeping missions and creating effective models of interinstitutional cooperation between the UN and NATO. Prospects for further research include the study of cooperation between the UN and NATO, which involves the use of new technologies to improve the effectiveness of peacekeeping missions and the regulation of the separation of functions between global partners.
References
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

How to cite

Kuchyk, O., Hohosha, O., Hud, B., Malyk, I., & Hud, R. (2026). UN-NATO partnership in peacekeeping missions: Joint reform prospects for global security. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 8(7), 2026454. https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2026454

[1] Albrecht, P., Patey, L., Abrahamsen, R., & Williams, P. D. (2024). From peacekeeping missions to global peacekeeping assemblages. International Affairs, 100(3), 899-917. https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiae064

[2] Alibeli, M. A. (2024). The Ukrainian Crisis: a Game-Theoretic Analysis of the Complex Interplay between Ukraine, Russia, and the West. Perspectives on Global Development and Technology, 23(3-4), 214-231. https://doi.org/10.1163/15691497-12341683

[3] Al Midfa, N. (2024, July 12). Assessing past UN peacekeeping: Lessons for future missions. Trends Research & Advisory. https://trendsresearch.org/insight/assessing-past-un-peacekeeping-lessons-for-future-missions/?srsltid=AfmBOooZKvOblw-1weyXcOa1mAClofNSA9xs3v8i7IsbXjRX9FocCrq2. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[4] Artemov, V., Ishchenko, Y., Rusnak, A., Trepak, V., & Denysenko, M. (2024). The role of American intelligence in shaping foreign policy strategies. Edelweiss Applied Science and Technology, 8(5), 1385-1399. https://doi.org/10.55214/25768484.v8i5.1842

[5] Bara, C., & Hultman, L. (2020) Just different hats? Comparing UN and Non-UN peacekeeping. International Peacekeeping, 27(3), 341-368. https://doi.org/10.1080/13533312.2020.1737023

[6] Bove, V., Ruffa, C., & Ruggeri, A. (2020). Composing peace: Mission composition in UN peacekeeping, Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198790655.003.0002

[7] Cusumano, E., & Bures, O. (2021). Varieties of organised hypocrisy: Security privatisation in UN, EU, and NATO crisis management operations. European Security, 31(2), 159-179. https://doi.org/10.1080/09662839.2021.1972975

[8] Duursma, Allard, Bara, C., Wilén, N., Hellmüller, S., Karlsrud, J., Oksamytna, K., Bruker, J., … Wenger, A. (2023). UN peacekeeping at 75: Achievements, challenges, and prospects. International Peacekeeping, 30(4), 415-476. https://doi.org/10.1080/13533312.2023.2263178

[9] IISS. (2024). The armed conflict survey 2024. https://www.iiss.org/globalassets/media-library---content--migration/files/publications---free-files/acs-2024/acs2024_00-1_editors-introduction.pdf. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[10] Foley, C. (2023). The protection paradox: How the UN can get better at saving civilian lives. Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-27427-5_3

[11] Gauthier Vela, V. (2021). MINUSMA and the militarization of UN peacekeeping. International Peacekeeping, 28(5), 838-863. https://doi.org/10.1080/13533312.2021.1951610

[12] Gwatiwa, T. (2022). Shirking in AU Partnerships: The UN and NATO. In: The African Union and African Agency in International Politics. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-87805-4_7

[13] Kuchyk, O., Hohosha, O., Shalenna, N., Kut, M., & Kushta, O. (2024). Effectiveness of the decision-making process in international security organizations in the context of international crises. Pakistan Journal of Criminology, 16(2), 231-246. https://doi.org/10.62271/pjc.16.2.231.246

[14] Larsen, H. (2021). NATO in an illiberal world: The case for differentiated partnerships. The RUSI Journal, 166(3), 84-92. https://doi.org/10.1080/03071847.2021.1945486

[15] Lunsford, G. (2023). A comprehensive analysis of two global organizations. https://www.irtheory.com/un-vs-nato/. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[16] Miller, A. (2024). The role of international organizations in conflict resolution: A study of the UN and NATO. EDU Journal of International Affairs and Research (EJIAR), 3(2), 48-56. https://edupublications.com/index.php/ejiar. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[17] NATO. (2020). NATO strengthens support for United Nations peacekeepers. https://www.nato.int/cps/ru/natohq/news_174981.htm?selectedLocale=en. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[18] NATO. (2022). NATO standard AJP-01 allied joint doctrine. https://www.cimic-coe.org/resources/external-publications/ajp-01-edf-v1-f.pdf. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[19] NATO. (2023). NATO’S submission to the UN secretariat for a “new agenda for peace”. https://dppa.un.org/sites/default/files/natos_contribution_for_a_new_agenda_for_peace_final.pdf. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[20] NATO. (2025, July 10). Operations and missions: Past and present. https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/topics_52060.htm. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[21] Newman, E., & Visoka, G. (2024). NATO in Kosovo and the logic of successful security practices. International Affairs,100(2), 631-653. https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiae014

[22] Paris, R. (2024). The future of UN peace operations: Pragmatism, pluralism or statism? International Affairs, 100(5), 2153-2172. https://doi.org/10.1093/ia/iiae182/

[23] PISM. (2022, July 21). New NATO strategy reshapes the future of crisis response. https://www.pism.pl/publications/new-nato-strategy-reshapes-the-future-of-crisis-response. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[24] Pomarede, J. (2024). Deadly ambiguities: NATO and the politics of counter-terrorism in international organizations after 9/11. Security Dialogue, 55(6), 588-606. https://doi.org/10.1177/096701062412404

[25] Reynaud de Sousa, B. (2023). Peacekeeping and crisis management: A brief assessment of EU-UN cooperation. UNIO–EU Law Journal, 9(1), 3-14. https://doi.org/10.21814/unio.9.1.5205

[26] Rzhevska, N., & Moroz, A. (2022). In search of effective scenarios for peacekeeping operations for the UN and NATO. Justice in Eastern Europe, 3(15), 87-106. https://doi.org/10.33327/AJEE-18-5.3-n000319

[27] Schumann, M. P., & Bara, C. (2023). A new era: Power in partnership peacekeeping. International Studies Quarterly, 67(3), sqad037. https://doi.org/10.1093/isq/sqad037

[28] SIPRI. (2024). SIPRI Yearbook 2024. https://www.sipri.org/yearbook/2024. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[29] SIPRI. (2025). Yearbook archives. https://www.sipri.org/yearbook/archive. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[30] Sherman, J., Sarfati, A., & Dahir, I. (2021). The future of UN peacekeeping and parallel operations. International Peace Institute. https://www.ipinst.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Future-of-Peace-Operations-and-Parallel-Forces-js.pdf. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[31] Štrucl, D. (2021). The EU-NATO partnership and ensuring information security and cybersecurity: theory and practice. Contemporary military challenges, 23(2), 29-47. https://doi.org/10.33179/bsv.99.svi.11.cmc.23.2.2

[32] UNOCHA. (2024). Global humanitarian overview 2024. https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/world/global-humanitarian-overview-2024-enarfres. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[33] UN Peacekeeping. (2023). NATO’S statement at the 2023 UN peacekeeping ministerial. https://peacekeeping.un.org/sites/default/files/nato_statement_2023.pdf. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[34] UN Peacekeeping. (2025a). Where we operate. https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/where-we-operate. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[35] UN Peacekeeping. (2025b). Past peace operations. https://peacekeeping.un.org/en/past-peacekeeping-operations. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[36] Wane, E.-G., Williams, P. D., & Kihara-Hunt, A. (2024). The future of peacekeeping: New models and related capabilities. United Nations. https://peacekeeping.un.org/sites/default/files/the_future_of_peacekeeping_new_models_and_related_capabilities_-_nov1.pdf. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

[37] Zolkover, A.O., Rusina, Y.O., Bielialov, T.E., & Neseniuk, E.S. (2020). The Influence of Innovative Potential on Gross Production and Economic Security: Regional Analysis. International Journal of Management, 11 (4), 439-452. http://www.iaeme.com/IJM/issues.asp?JType=IJM&VType=11&IType=4. Accessed on June 13, 2025.

Abstract

References

How to cite