NATO

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Context

Finland formally joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation roughly doubling the length of the border that the alliance shares with Russia and bolsters its eastern flank as the war in Ukraine grinds on with no resolution in sight.

Reaction of countries

NATO Secretary-General welcomed the move. Soon Sweden will become a full-fledged member of the alliance.
Russia said it would be forced to take “counter-measures” to Finland’s accession. The move raised the prospect of the conflict in Ukraine escalating further.
Russia said it would strengthen its military capacity in its western and northwestern regions in response to the move.

About NATO

Formed in 1949 with the signing of the Washington Treaty.
NATO is a security alliance whose fundamental goal is to safeguard the Allies’ freedom and security by political and military means.
NATO remains the principal security instrument of the transatlantic community and expression of its common democratic values.
It is the practical means through which the security of North America and Europe are permanently tied together.
NATO enlargement has furthered the U.S. goal of a Europe whole, free, and at peace.
Article 4 of the treaty ensures consultations among Allies on security matters of common interest, which have expanded from a narrowly defined Soviet threat to the critical mission in Afghanistan, as well as peacekeeping in Kosovo and new threats to security such as cyber attacks, and global threats such as terrorism and piracy that affect the Alliance and its global network of partners.

Member States

The NATO Alliance consists of 30 member states from North America and Europe.
Article Five of the treaty states that if an armed attack occurs against one of the member states, it should be considered an attack against all members, and other members shall assist the attacked member, with armed forces if necessary.

Structure

NATO is comprised of two main parts, the political and military components.
NATO Headquarters is where representatives from all the member states come together to make decisions on a consensus basis.
It also offers a venue for dialogue and cooperation between partner countries and NATO member countries, enabling them to work together in their efforts to bring about peace and stability.

NATO Exercises

The term NATO Military Exercise includes all exercises for which NATO is the initiating or the joint initiating authority.
Associated with NATO Military Exercises are building blocks, such as: seminars, study periods and workshops.
A NATO Military Exercise is scheduled by a NATO Commander. It aims to establish, enhance and display NATO’s Military Capability across the Alliance’s full mission spectrum.

Importance of NATO

NATO promotes democratic values and encourages consultation and cooperation on defense and security issues to build trust and, in the long run, prevent conflict.
NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of disputes.
If diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military capacity needed to undertake crisis-management operations.
In the history of NATO, Article 5 has been invoked just once, and that was in response to the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q) Which of the following statements with reference to NATO is/are correct?

a. If an armed attack occurs against one of the member states, it should be considered an attack against all members.

b. It is a strategic alliance of 30 countries.

c. Finland and Sweden are members of NATO.