North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is an international intergovernmental military-political organization that was established by the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty on April 4, 1949 in Washington in accordance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, which emphasizes the fundamental right of independent states to individual or collective defense .
 Source: www.nti.org |
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The treaty was signed by the ministers of foreign affairs of the twelve founding states (Belgium, Denmark, Holland, France, Iceland, Canada, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, USA, Italy, Great Britain), the main goal was to create a defense alliance that would guarantee the freedom and security of all its members political and military means.
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The basic principle of the Alliance is a common commitment to mutual cooperation between member states, based on the indivisibility of their security. Solidarity and cohesion within the Alliance ensure that no member country is forced to rely solely on its own national efforts to address essential security tasks. The treaty obliges each member state to share in the risks and responsibilities, but also in the benefits of collective security.
NATO is open to further expansion by new members and therefore promotes the so-called Membership Action Plan. This plan provides practical advice and targeted assistance to help aspiring members prepare for membership and meet key requirements.
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1952 - Greece and Turkey
1955 - Federal Republic of Germany
1982 - Spain
1999 - Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland
2004 - Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lituania, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia
2009 - Albania, Croatia
2017 - Montenegro
2020 - North Macedonia
2023 - Finland
2024 - Sweden
At the moment the Alliance has 32 members including states from Europe and North America.
