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Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Finland and Sweden have moved to apply for membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) military alliance, which would mark a major policy shift for the Nordic region.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said the countries could join "quickly" and that he was sure arrangements could be found for the interim period.
But Russia has repeatedly warned of "serious consequences" if Finland and Sweden join NATO, saying it would have to strengthen its land, naval and air forces in the Baltic Sea, and raised the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons in the area.
German tanks during a NATO exercise in Poland. The military alliance has deployed extra forces to its East European members since Russia invaded Ukraine. (AP)
Britain has pledged to come to the aid of Sweden and Finland, including with military support, if the two Nordic nations came under attack under security deals Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed on Wednesday with his Swedish counterpart in Stockholm and the Finnish president in Helsinki.
Here's what you need to know about the Western military alliance and why it could expand in response to Russia's attack on Ukraine.
NATO is a European and North American defence alliance set up to promote peace and stability and to safeguard the security of its members. It was created in 1949 as the Cold War escalated and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
Its aim was to provide collective security against the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe's communist-run countries.
Russia reacted by setting up its own military alliance called the Warsaw Pact.
Over the decades since, the alliance has grown to include a total of 30 members.
In alphabetical order, they are: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, the UK and the US.
Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but has long hoped to join the alliance. This is a sore point for Russia, which sees NATO as a threat and vehemently opposes the move.
Polish F-16 fighter jets flew in NATO air patrols over Lithuania after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AP)
Members agree to help one and another in the case of an armed attack against any individual member state, a principal known as Article 5.
As the bloc says: "An attack against one Ally is considered as an attack against all Allies."
This is crucial for many of the smaller countries who would be defenceless without its allies. Iceland, for example, has no standing army.
Since the US is the largest and most powerful NATO member, providing the bulk of forces and budget, any state in the alliance is effectively under US protection.
The US is the biggest member of the NATO military alliance, providing the bulk of troops and spending.. (Getty)
But the US is without doubt the biggest and most influential member. It spends more on its own military budget than all the others combined. It also pays just over 22 per cent of NATO common funding for infrastructure and collectively owned equipment. So Washington has a big say in how things are run.
In essence, Stoltenberg runs the headquarters located near Brussels.
He doesn't order the allies around. His job is to encourage consensus and speak on their behalf publicly as a single voice representing all 30 members.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, a Norwegian politician, runs the alliance's headquarters in Brussels. (AP)
More broadly, Putin wants NATO to pull back its existing military presence in Eastern Europe, which includes a regularly rotating series of exercises in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, all former Soviet states.
Putin also opposes NATO's missile defence presence in Romania, a former Soviet satellite state, and a similar base under development in Poland, saying they could be converted to offensive weapons capable of threatening Russia.
www.9news.com.au
Russian military and their tactics and equipment proving to be bad as the CCP and all their bluster and bullshit and all their threats for the last few decades about invading Taiwan.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has said the countries could join "quickly" and that he was sure arrangements could be found for the interim period.
But Russia has repeatedly warned of "serious consequences" if Finland and Sweden join NATO, saying it would have to strengthen its land, naval and air forces in the Baltic Sea, and raised the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons in the area.
German tanks during a NATO exercise in Poland. The military alliance has deployed extra forces to its East European members since Russia invaded Ukraine. (AP)
Britain has pledged to come to the aid of Sweden and Finland, including with military support, if the two Nordic nations came under attack under security deals Prime Minister Boris Johnson signed on Wednesday with his Swedish counterpart in Stockholm and the Finnish president in Helsinki.
Here's what you need to know about the Western military alliance and why it could expand in response to Russia's attack on Ukraine.
What is NATO?
NATO is a European and North American defence alliance set up to promote peace and stability and to safeguard the security of its members. It was created in 1949 as the Cold War escalated and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.
Its aim was to provide collective security against the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe's communist-run countries.
Russia reacted by setting up its own military alliance called the Warsaw Pact.
Which countries are in NATO?
Twelve founding countries - the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and eight other European nations - signed the North Atlantic Treaty in 1949, pledging to protect each other by political and military means.Over the decades since, the alliance has grown to include a total of 30 members.
In alphabetical order, they are: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, the UK and the US.
Ukraine is not a member of NATO, but has long hoped to join the alliance. This is a sore point for Russia, which sees NATO as a threat and vehemently opposes the move.
Polish F-16 fighter jets flew in NATO air patrols over Lithuania after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. (AP)
How does NATO work?
Members agree to help one and another in the case of an armed attack against any individual member state, a principal known as Article 5.
As the bloc says: "An attack against one Ally is considered as an attack against all Allies."
This is crucial for many of the smaller countries who would be defenceless without its allies. Iceland, for example, has no standing army.
Since the US is the largest and most powerful NATO member, providing the bulk of forces and budget, any state in the alliance is effectively under US protection.
The US is the biggest member of the NATO military alliance, providing the bulk of troops and spending.. (Getty)
Who runs NATO?
The alliance's meetings — the North Atlantic Council, held at ambassadorial level almost weekly in Brussels, less often at the level of ministers or heads of state and government — are chaired by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, a Norwegian politician.But the US is without doubt the biggest and most influential member. It spends more on its own military budget than all the others combined. It also pays just over 22 per cent of NATO common funding for infrastructure and collectively owned equipment. So Washington has a big say in how things are run.
In essence, Stoltenberg runs the headquarters located near Brussels.
He doesn't order the allies around. His job is to encourage consensus and speak on their behalf publicly as a single voice representing all 30 members.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, a Norwegian politician, runs the alliance's headquarters in Brussels. (AP)
Why does NATO worry Russia?
The stated reason is that a further eastward expansion of NATO would pose a security threat to Russia. Washington and its allies deny this is a valid worry, since no NATO country is threatening to use force against Russia.More broadly, Putin wants NATO to pull back its existing military presence in Eastern Europe, which includes a regularly rotating series of exercises in Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, all former Soviet states.
Putin also opposes NATO's missile defence presence in Romania, a former Soviet satellite state, and a similar base under development in Poland, saying they could be converted to offensive weapons capable of threatening Russia.
Why NATO military alliance has Russia worried
NATO is on the path of expansion, with Finland and Sweden set to join the military alliance.
www.9news.com.au
Russian military and their tactics and equipment proving to be bad as the CCP and all their bluster and bullshit and all their threats for the last few decades about invading Taiwan.
