Understanding NATO: Member Countries and Its Significance

The head of the NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, has criticized former US President Donald Trump's suggestion that Russia should attack NATO members who fail to meet the defense spending target. Stoltenberg warned that such comments would put European and US troops at greater risk. He emphasized that NATO is actively recruiting new members and strengthening its defense capabilities following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. NATO, which was established in 1949, aims to prevent the expansion of the Soviet Union, including Russia. Its members have an agreement to provide mutual defense in the event of an attack, which might involve the use of armed force. Although NATO does not have its own army, its member countries can coordinate military plans and exercises. After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, NATO declared it to be the most significant and direct threat to the security of its allies. Currently, NATO consists of 31 member countries across Europe and North America. Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, several Eastern European nations joined NATO, and Sweden and Finland applied for membership after Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Finland became a NATO member in April 2023, with Sweden awaiting Hungary's parliamentary approval. Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as Georgia, are also seeking to join NATO. NATO requires its member states to spend at least 2% of their national income on defense, with the US leading at nearly 3.5% and countries bordering Russia, such as Poland and the Baltic Republics, surpassing the 2% target. France, Germany, Italy, and Spain, however, spent below the minimum level in 2023. While Ukraine has expressed interest in joining NATO, the alliance has not confirmed the timeline for its membership. Ukraine's request for fast-track membership was rejected by NATO in September 2022, with Russia strongly opposing Ukraine's potential membership due to concerns about NATO forces being too close to its territory. Currently, Ukraine cannot join while at war with Russia but aims to join as soon as fighting ends. NATO has coordinated with Ukraine through the NATO-Ukraine Council since July 2023 to help Ukraine defend itself against Russia. Although NATO as a whole has not provided weapons to Ukraine, individual member countries, including the US, UK, Germany, and Turkey, have supplied anti-tank weapons, missile defense systems, artillery guns, tanks, and military drones. The US and UK have also supplied long-range missiles, and Nato countries have offered fighter jets, such as F-16s, to Ukraine. However, Nato countries have refrained from sending troops or imposing a no-fly zone over Ukraine to avoid direct conflict with Russia. In 2023, NATO commanders formulated detailed plans to counter possible Russian attacks in various regions. Additionally, NATO will hold one of its largest military exercises since the Cold War, called the Steadfast Defender exercise, in February 2024. The exercise will involve 90,000 personnel from all 31 NATO countries, including Sweden, with the UK contributing 20,000 personnel. Finally, NATO announced plans to increase the number of troops on high alert in Europe from 40,000 to over 300,000 and has reinforced its defenses along its eastern border with Russia with eight battlegroups stationed in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, and the Baltic Republics.