The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is a military alliance that was established in April 1949 through the North Atlantic Treaty, also known as the Washington Treaty. The founding members included the United States, Canada, and several Western European countries who aimed at collective security against the then-threat, the Soviet Union. Currently, NATO comprises 30 member states, the most recent addition being North Macedonia in 2020.
The Origins of NATO
When NATO was formed in 1949, its mission was articulated based on three points: deterring Soviet expansionism, forbidding the revival of nationalist militarism in Europe through a strong North American presence, and encouraging European political integration. The remnants of World War II and the Nazi legacy heavily influenced these founding principles. The focus on military cooperation and collective defense was evident in the treaty’s clauses. Article 5, for instance, proclaimed that an attack on one NATO member shall be seen as an attack on all.
Warsaw Pact and Cold War Politics
The growing tension during the Cold War prompted the Soviet Union to form the Warsaw Pact in 1955. This pact constituted socialist republics of Central and Eastern Europe including Albania (which later withdrew in 1968), Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, East Germany, Hungary, Poland, and Romania. The Warsaw Pact served as a political-military counterbalance to NATO. The fear of a strengthened and rearmed West Germany joining NATO led to Russia’s growing concern and, consequently, this pact helped bind Eastern European capitals closer to Russia.
NATO’s Expansion Post Dissolution of Soviet Union
Following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, NATO embarked on a path of expansion, welcoming former Warsaw Pact states into its cadre. The first wave of expansion saw the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland join the alliance in 1999. This was followed by the inclusion of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia in 2004. Later, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro, and North Macedonia also joined NATO.
Russia’s Stance on NATO Expansion
Proclaimed Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership by Ukraine and Georgia in 2008 raised an alarm in Russia. Both countries were considered historic allies of the Soviet Union, and their shift towards NATO was seen as a hostile act against Russia. The possibility of Ukraine’s NATO membership was particularly threatening for Russia.
Did NATO Violate Its Promise?
In 1990, Russia believed that there was an understanding with the US that NATO’s jurisdiction would not extend ‘one inch to the east’. However, NATO’s continued expansion into Eastern Europe resulted in escalating tensions between Russia and NATO member states.
Russia’s Outrage and Actions
Facing multiple challenges at home after the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia interpreted the Two Plus Four Treaty as a ban on NATO’s expansion east of Germany. Through the 2000s, Russia expressed increased resentment at NATO’s steady expansion into Eastern Europe. In response to NATO’s intent to admit Georgia and Ukraine, Russia reacted by invading Georgia in 2008, and subsequently Ukraine in 2014, asserting control over several of their territorial regions.