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Formed in 1949, NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is a military alliance. It began with 12 nations, led by the U.S., the UK, France and Canada. NATO's real purpose was to prevent the spread of the Soviet Union in Europe in the aftermath of World War II.
NATO members commit to defending each other if one nation is attacked. This is called “collective defense.” Although NATO does not have its own army, member countries send their forces to cooperate when necessary. For instance, NATO assisted in conflicts in the former Yugoslavia (1992 to 2004) and Afghanistan (2001 to 2021).
NATO matters also for global security. It fights terrorism and trains military forces in various countries and aids in disaster relief efforts. Throughout the years, NATO has opened its doors to more states that wanted to join rather than sit behind a wall of separation, much like a man who wants protection against a more powerful threat.
It comes after Russia’s actions in Ukraine over the past few years have caused other nations to seek NATO membership for protection. NATO welcomed Finland in April 2023, Sweden a year later in March 2024. These countries were neutral before but shifted course after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia, meanwhile, have applied to join NATO. But their real-world applications have some hurdles.
Russia perceives NATO, new NATO member countries as threat because NATO forces would be closer to its borders. Russia invaded Crimea, part of Ukraine, in 2014, and tensions rose. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to NATO countries increasing the level of their support to Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine formally requested NATO membership on a fast track after the invasion. But NATO’s previous Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, has also said Ukraine can only join once the war concludes. Some NATO countries are concerned that admitting Ukraine now would trigger a direct war with Russia.
recently, NATO membership for Ukraine would likely be off the table as part of a peace deal, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. Not all NATO leaders feel the same, however. Germany’s defense minister in addition said the decision ought to be debated further, while Sweden’s minister insisted that Ukraine’s membership remains on the table.
Zelensky even declared that he would resign as president if that would help Ukraine join NATO, a sign of the paramount importance NATO membership has for Ukraine’s future security.
But not late last week, when the U.S. voted with Russia in the United Nations rather than stand up for its NATO allies. That has left European leaders anxious about NATO’s fate, particularly if Trump return to office. Some European leaders are considering even forming their own defense force should NATO weaken.
The new chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, has said Europe must grow stronger and not rely so heavily on the U.S. for military assistance.
Trump has proposed 5% of NATO members' GDP on defence spending. More recently, the U.S. has been insisting that Europe do more to fight its own battles rather than depend on American muscle.
The military assistance since 2022 by U.S. has been around €59.9 billion (£49.7bn) to Ukraine. European NATO allies delivered €52.6 billion (£43.7bn). Countries including the U.K., Germany and France have dispatched advanced arms, tanks, anti-aircraft systems and drones.
(From NATO countries, Ukraine received its first U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets in August 2024.) These jets will aid Ukraine in repelling Russian air attacks. Nor have the U.S. and UK previously permitted Ukraine to strike Russian targets with Western missiles since November 2024.
But there are fears that American support for Ukraine could fade in time. Should this happen, European countries will have to provide additional military aid individually.
This week the UK unveiled a fresh £150 million military assistance package for Ukraine. They include drones, tanks and air defense systems to assist Ukraine in its ongoing fight against Russia.
NATO members commit to defending each other if one nation is attacked. This is called “collective defense.” Although NATO does not have its own army, member countries send their forces to cooperate when necessary. For instance, NATO assisted in conflicts in the former Yugoslavia (1992 to 2004) and Afghanistan (2001 to 2021).
NATO matters also for global security. It fights terrorism and trains military forces in various countries and aids in disaster relief efforts. Throughout the years, NATO has opened its doors to more states that wanted to join rather than sit behind a wall of separation, much like a man who wants protection against a more powerful threat.
Countries NATO Members
NATO began with 12 countries; now it includes 32 from North America and Europe. The U.S. was one of the original members along with the UK, France, Canada, and Belgium. On the basis of these assurances, after the Soviet Union broke up in 1991, NATO expanded, with the membership of many Eastern European countries, including Poland, Romania and the Baltic states (Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania).It comes after Russia’s actions in Ukraine over the past few years have caused other nations to seek NATO membership for protection. NATO welcomed Finland in April 2023, Sweden a year later in March 2024. These countries were neutral before but shifted course after Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022.
Ukraine, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia, meanwhile, have applied to join NATO. But their real-world applications have some hurdles.
Ukraine is not in NATO
Ukraine has sought to join NATO for decades. In 2008, NATO stated that Ukraine could eventually join the alliance, but no specific timeframe was offered. One is that Russia is dead set against Ukraine joining NATO.Russia perceives NATO, new NATO member countries as threat because NATO forces would be closer to its borders. Russia invaded Crimea, part of Ukraine, in 2014, and tensions rose. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 led to NATO countries increasing the level of their support to Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine formally requested NATO membership on a fast track after the invasion. But NATO’s previous Secretary-General, Jens Stoltenberg, has also said Ukraine can only join once the war concludes. Some NATO countries are concerned that admitting Ukraine now would trigger a direct war with Russia.
recently, NATO membership for Ukraine would likely be off the table as part of a peace deal, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said. Not all NATO leaders feel the same, however. Germany’s defense minister in addition said the decision ought to be debated further, while Sweden’s minister insisted that Ukraine’s membership remains on the table.
Zelensky even declared that he would resign as president if that would help Ukraine join NATO, a sign of the paramount importance NATO membership has for Ukraine’s future security.
Donald Trump Says About NATO
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has savaged NATO on many occasions. And he views some European states as spending too little on their military and being overly dependent on the U.S. for defense. Trump has even threatened that he might not protect NATO members if they don’t pay their fair share.But not late last week, when the U.S. voted with Russia in the United Nations rather than stand up for its NATO allies. That has left European leaders anxious about NATO’s fate, particularly if Trump return to office. Some European leaders are considering even forming their own defense force should NATO weaken.
The new chancellor of Germany, Friedrich Merz, has said Europe must grow stronger and not rely so heavily on the U.S. for military assistance.
NATO Members Spending on Defense
NATO's guideline for its members is that they should spend at least 2% of their national income (GDP) on defense. Only three countries met that goal in 2014. In the quarter century that followed, 23 countries hit the target. That’s because NATO nations are set to ramp up their military spending, especially in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.Trump has proposed 5% of NATO members' GDP on defence spending. More recently, the U.S. has been insisting that Europe do more to fight its own battles rather than depend on American muscle.
Military Support NATO Provided to Ukraine
NATO has not deployed troops directly inside Ukraine out of a desire to avoid an all out war with Russia. But NATO countries have provided billions of dollars of arms and military equipment.The military assistance since 2022 by U.S. has been around €59.9 billion (£49.7bn) to Ukraine. European NATO allies delivered €52.6 billion (£43.7bn). Countries including the U.K., Germany and France have dispatched advanced arms, tanks, anti-aircraft systems and drones.
(From NATO countries, Ukraine received its first U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets in August 2024.) These jets will aid Ukraine in repelling Russian air attacks. Nor have the U.S. and UK previously permitted Ukraine to strike Russian targets with Western missiles since November 2024.
But there are fears that American support for Ukraine could fade in time. Should this happen, European countries will have to provide additional military aid individually.
This week the UK unveiled a fresh £150 million military assistance package for Ukraine. They include drones, tanks and air defense systems to assist Ukraine in its ongoing fight against Russia.
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