Jerusalem is closely following the annual NATO summit convening this week in Madrid. The dramatic news of an agreement with Turkey for Sweden and Finland to join the alliance has far-reaching implications for the Middle East, Israel and beyond. The new Strategic Concept endorsed yesterday by NATO leaders is also likely to affect its relations with its major non-member partners such as Israel.

Diplomats in Jerusalem and Brussels told Al-Monitor this week that while these geopolitical developments are expected to alter Israel-NATO relations, the changes could actually benefit Israel and make the partnership grow.

Israel realizes that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has undermined the security order in Europe and that the European Union is facing a new era of strategic conflict on the continent. Thus, Europe and NATO are now looking east.

The Russian invasion took place on the backdrop of reforms NATO has been undergoing for the past three years, ever since French President Emmanuel Macron warned that the alliance suffering from "brain death." The Biden administration's commitment to resume its leading role in NATO promises to bring about a healthy process of reforms.