Updated Apr 13, 2022

What Is the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato)?

What Is Nato?

NATO is the name given to the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, a political union between the United States and its European allies. As a result of World War II, the Atlantic Council was established to promote peace and collaboration between countries on both sides of the channel.

As a national security alliance, NATO has an Economic Committee, which aims to facilitate economic discussions among its members and keep tabs on economies inside the Alliance and outside its borders. Additionally, NATO has been a stabilising force in Europe and North America, enabling its members' economies to grow and thrive.

NATO member countries

In total, NATO has a membership of 30 countries from Europe and North America. These countries are Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, France, Greece, Italy, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, and Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, and the United States.

Representatives from each NATO member country serve on panels convened by the alliance and take part in discussions related to the alliance's business. Chancellor, head of state, foreign affairs and defence ministers, to mention a few, are examples of persons who have been appointed by a country.

Montenegro became a member of NATO on December 1, 2015, the first time that has happened since the alliance's 2009 membership expansion. A "strategic hazard" to Russia's internal security was described by Russia in response to the decision. An increasing number of Balkan countries have just joined NATO, which has disturbed Russia.

What is the aim of NATO?

The goal of NATO is to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of its members. One of its targets is terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and cyberattacks. NATO's Article 5 states: "An armed attack solely on a single country is considered an attack on all allies."

Article 5 states: that NATO's mandate necessitates this step. All NATO nations will be attacked in retaliation for an attack on one of the alliance's members. Only once in NATO's history has Article 5 been used, and that was in reaction to the September 11th assaults on the United States.

As a member of the NATO alliance, the United States is not protected against civil wars or internal coups. NATO, for example, elected not to join both sides of the war after the military crackdown in Turkey in 2016.  Despite being a NATO member, Turkey would not get assistance from its allies in the case of a coup d'état.

NATO relies on the efforts of its members. Three-quarters of NATO's overall funding comes from the United States. Only eleven countries in the world have reached the aim of spending at least 2% of GDP on health care (GDP). 7 This year, the United States is scheduled to devote 3.52% of its military expenditures.

History of NATO

The North Atlantic Treaty Association was created on April 4, 1949. It collaborated with the UN, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund. From the 1944 Bretton Woods Conference, the organisations were formed.

NATO was established in order to safeguard member nations against communist threats. The United States had aspirations of maintaining a presence in Europe as well. Its goal was to put an end to extremist nationalism and foster political harmony. The EU's inception was made possible by NATO. After World War II, Europe desperately needed US military assistance in rebuilding.

NATO's ties with Russia warmed after the fall of the USSR in the early 1990s. They agreed to establish bilateral ties in 1997. NATO-Russia Council was founded in 2002 to discuss common security challenges.

Former USSR satellite republics were uneasy after the breakdown. Yugoslavia's civil conflict devolved into genocide, prompting NATO. A no-fly zone was established after NATO first supported a UN naval blockade. As a result of violations, NATO launched a nine-day bombing operation in September 1999, ending the conflict. By December, NATO had sent 60,000 troops for peacekeeping. In 2004, NATO delegated the role to the EU2.

Alliances

Aside from its 30 members, NATO has three alliances. The Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council assists allies in joining NATO. Non-NATO nations support NATO's mission. Peacekeeping has become as tough as establishing peace, according to NATO. Consequently, NATO is bolstering global alliances. Transatlantic peace has become a global undertaking in the era of globalisation. It is more than just military might.

NATO also shares security concerns with eight different nations. Australia, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mongolia, and New Zealand are among the five Asia-Pacific nations. Colombia and three Middle Eastern nations (Afghanistan, Iraq, and Pakistan) are among them.

Conclusion

The North Atlantic Treaty was founded as a 30-member partnership after World War II to protect democratic freedom. An important part of NATO's military might come from its membership in countries like the United States, Canada, and several in Europe. The alliance also works with countries that aren't part of the core group of NATO members.