NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is a transatlantic defense alliance established in 1949.
It currently consists of 30 member states, of which 14 were part of the former Eastern Bloc. The last country to join was North Macedonia, which became a member in March 2020.
NATO was created for the purpose of maintaining peace in the North Atlantic region by deterring armed attacks on members of the Alliance.
There are no “supranational” military units within NATO, and the member states’ national defense forces are the only military resources.
At the heart of NATO lies Article 5, which states:
“The Parties agree that an armed attack on one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be deemed to be an attack on them all, and therefore agree that in the event of such an armed attack, each will/…/ immediately assist the attacking party or parties. individually and in agreement with the other parties, to take such measures as they deem necessary, including the use of armed forces, to restore and maintain security in the North Atlantic region.”
Each member state decides its own defense and security policy, and has the right to veto the vote.
Source: Foreign Policy Institute, NATO
“Falls down a lot. Internet fanatic. Proud analyst. Creator. Wannabe music lover. Introvert. Tv aficionado.”
More Stories
The first city in the world to charge an entrance fee
The United States secretly sent long-range robots
Heat record in Europe: Hottest April night on record