NATO

NATO, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is an intergovernmental military alliance formed in 1949 to safeguard the freedom and security of its members through collective defense and cooperative security. The North Atlantic Treaty was signed in Washington, D.C., on April 4, 1949, by 12 founding states.

A central element is Article 5, which states that an armed attack against one member is an attack on all, triggering collective defense. Decisions are by consensus in the North Atlantic Council, with emphasis on democratic values, rule of law, and peaceful dispute resolution.

NATO combines civilian leadership with a military command structure. Its headquarters are in Brussels. The Military Committee provides strategic guidance, while two strategic commands—Allied Command Operations in Mons, Belgium, and Allied Command Transformation in Norfolk, Virginia—oversee operations and modernization.

NATO began with 12 members and expanded through several enlargements. Finland joined in 2023, bringing the alliance to 30 members as of that year. Expansion has included states from Central and Eastern Europe and the Baltic region.

The alliance conducts crisis-management operations and contributes to security beyond its borders. Notable missions include the Kosovo Force (KFOR) in the Balkans, operations in Afghanistan, and maritime security initiatives. NATO also emphasizes cyber defense, space resilience, missile defense, and maintains many partnerships with non-member countries.

NATO has adapted to new security challenges, including terrorism, hybrid threats, and Russian aggression. After Russia's 2014 Crimea annexation and the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, member states increased deterrence, defense spending, and presence in eastern Europe while pursuing diplomacy and modernization.