What is NATO and why do more European countries want to join?

Since the end of World War II, NATO has stood as a force between the west and the east – keeping the Soviet Union at bay. But now it’s led to war in Ukraine.

It was meant to be a defensive pact, protecting European nations as the iron curtain came down across the continent as Stalin’s Soviet Union became a global power.

Nato stands for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization – it’s a military alliance formed in 1949 by 12 countries, including the US, UK, Canada and France.

Why become a member?

Membership of NATO is meant to protect a nation in the event of an armed attack – An attack on one would be an attack on all.

Originally NATO’s aim was to stand up to the threat of post war Russia, which was trying to expand across Europe.

After the Soviet Union’s collapse in 1991, a number of countries, formerly associated with the Soviet Union, joined NATO. 

But as Russia’s aggression under Vladimir Putin intensified, many more countries applied for NATO membership. That’s now seen as a strategic mistake.

Now US officials believe Sweden and Finland will bid for membership as soon as June. That would take NATO member states to 32.

But Russia sees this as an destabilising attack and has warned both countries against joining NATO.

NATO is growing

Russia fears NATO is encroaching on its area of political influence by taking on new members from eastern Europe.

But Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine has been described by the Pentagon as a “massive strategic blunder” – the unintended consequences of the Kremlin’s actions could be further growth of NATO.

Nato countries fear if their troops confront Russian forces in Ukraine, it could lead to an all-out conflict between Russia and the West – and then a global war.

Nato says its members are “determined to do all we can to support Ukraine,” but must ensure the war doesn’t escalate beyond Ukraine’s borders. 

One of Russia’s demands before the invasion was that Ukraine should never be allowed to join.

Ukraine’s President Zelensky accepts his country can’t join Nato right now. But that’s made no difference to Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine.