Frequently asked questions about NATO

ABOUT in this document

This material is not a reflection official position any government agency of Ukraine. This goal is to systematize answers to frequently asked questions arising in connection with the deepening of cooperation between Ukraine and NATO. The material is not propaganda, although its authors are adherents of the idea of ​​Ukraine's membership in NATO. It is designed for people who are willing to make the effort to explore the issue with an open mind. The choice of Russian as the language of presentation is due to the fact that the most difficult questions about Ukraine’s cooperation with NATO are asked in this language.

Please send suggestions, comments and new questions to: .

Alexey Izhak

Tatiana Brezhneva

How did NATO come into being and what goals does this organization pursue?

A series of events in 1947-49. aggravated the international situation. These include threats to the sovereignty of Norway, Greece, Turkey, the 1948 coup in Czechoslovakia and the blockade of West Berlin. Having signed the Brussels Treaty in March 1948, five Western European countries– Belgium, Great Britain, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and France – created common system defense This was followed by negotiations with the United States and Canada to create a unified North Atlantic Alliance. These negotiations culminated in the signing in April 1949 of the Washington Treaty, which introduced a common defense system for twelve countries: Belgium, Great Britain, Denmark, Iceland, Italy, Canada, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the USA and France.

In the early fifties, the course of international events pushed NATO member states to create, on the basis of the North Atlantic Treaty, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization - NATO. The creation of NATO was formalized by a series of additional agreements that entered into force in 1952.

In 1952, Greece and Türkiye joined the North Atlantic Treaty. The Federal Republic of Germany joined the alliance in 1955, and in 1982 Spain also became a member of NATO. In 1999, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland joined NATO. 2004 – Bulgaria, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia.In 1967, as a result of an internal crisis over the creation of the NATO Nuclear Directorate, France withdrew from the military organization of the Alliance, while remaining a full member of NATO. Thus, today the Alliance has 26 members.

NATO's primary purpose is to guarantee the freedom and security of all its members in Europe and North America in accordance with the principles of the UN Charter. To achieve this goal, NATO uses its political influence and military capabilities in accordance with the nature of the security challenges faced by its member states.

The current Strategic Concept, published in 1999, defines NATO's primary objectives as follows:

– act as the basis for stability in the Euro-Atlantic region;

– serve as a forum for consultation on security issues;

– deter and defend against any threat of aggression against any NATO member state;

– contribute to effective conflict prevention and actively participate in crisis management;

– promote the development of comprehensive partnerships, cooperation and dialogue with other countries in the Euro-Atlantic region.

How is NATO structured?

NATO is an intergovernmental organization with no supranational functions. She can only do what no member of her objects to. As an intergovernmental structure, it has at its disposal a very small number of military and civilian personnel - approximately 12 thousand people. This is less than the total number of diplomatic personnel in national missions to NATO. By the level of administrative burden, that is, the ratio of the number of people working for NATO as an organization and the number of people determining NATO activities in national governments and diplomatic missions,NATO is a very effective organization. For comparison: in the EU central bodies the number of translators alone is about 10 thousand people.

Major NATO decisions are prepared and taken in committees made up of members of national delegations. This is the core of the Alliance as an international club. The work of the multinational committees is supported by civilian personnel (international officials), who report to the Secretary General, and by an integrated command structure, which is managed by the NATO Military Committee. The definition of NATO as an international club with military instruments is quite accurate. Moreover, the share of military forces that in the event of war must be transferred under general command is significantly smaller than the number of forces remaining under national control. In peacetime, the number of military forces subordinate to the central command is negligible - only a few thousand military personnel. The same can be said about general budgets- they are tiny compared to the total military expenditures of the member countries.

Like any club, NATO has no policies, only rules for membership. What is perceived as NATO policy is nothing more than the resultant policy of member countries. It makes no practical sense to analyze and predict this conditional policy without analyzing and forecasting the policies of individual members of the Alliance.

Below is information about the main structural elements NATO.

North Atlantic Council (SAS) has real political power and decision-making rights. It consists of permanent representatives of all member states, who meet at least once a week. NATO Council sessions are also held at higher levels - foreign ministers, defense ministers or heads of government, but its powers and decision-making rights remain the same, and decisions have the same status and legal force regardless of the level of representation.

Each government is represented on the North Atlantic Council by a permanent representative with the rank of ambassador. All permanent representatives rely in their work on political and military personnel or staff of the NATO mission, the number of which may vary from country to country.

A meeting of the NATO Council composed of permanent representatives is often called a “permanent session of the North Atlantic Council.” Twice a year, and sometimes more often, the North Atlantic Council meets at ministerial level, with each NATO country represented by a foreign minister.

Meetings at top level with the participation of heads of state and government (summits) are held when it is necessary to resolve particularly important issues or at turning points in the development of NATO

Permanent Representatives act under instructions from their capitals, communicating and explaining to their NATO Council colleagues the views and policy decisions of their governments. In addition, they report to the leadership of their countries on the points of view and positions of other governments, report on new developments, the process of forming consensus on certain important issues, or differences in the positions of individual countries in some areas.

Decisions on any actions are made on the basis of unity of opinions and general agreement. NATO has no voting or majority decision-making procedures. Each country represented at meetings of the NATO Council or on any of its subordinate committees remains fully independent and fully responsible for its decisions.

The Council's work is prepared by subordinate committees responsible for specific policy areas.

War Planning Committee (KVP) usually works as part of permanent representatives, but at least twice a year its meetings are held at the level of defense ministers. It deals with most military issues and tasks related to collective defense planning. All NATO member states except France are represented on this committee. The Defense Planning Committee directs the activities of NATO's military leadership bodies. Within its area of ​​responsibility, it performs the same functions and has the same rights and powers as the North Atlantic Council. The work of the Military Planning Committee is prepared by a number of subordinate committees with specific areas of responsibility.

NATO Defense Ministers who participate in the work of the Defense Planning Committee hold regular meetings within the framework of Nuclear planning groups (NSG) where they discuss concrete questions policies related to nuclear forces. These meetings cover a wide range of nuclear weapons policy issues, including the safety, security and survivability of nuclear weapons, communications and information systems, deployment of nuclear forces, as well as broader issues of common concern such as nuclear weapons control and the proliferation of nuclear weapons. The work of the Nuclear Planning Group is supported by the NSG Headquarters Team.

The work of these committees is supported by many supporting structures.

Permanent representatives and national delegations. Each NATO country is represented on the North Atlantic Council by an ambassador or permanent representative, who is supported by a national delegation of advisers and officials representing their country on various NATO committees. These delegations are in many ways similar to small embassies. The fact that they are located in the same headquarters building allows them to communicate easily and quickly, formally and informally, with each other, as well as with members of NATO's international secretariats and representatives of partner countries.

NATO Secretary General is a distinguished international statesman entrusted by the governments of NATO member states to serve as Chairman of the North Atlantic Council, the Defense Planning Committee and the Nuclear Planning Group, as well as the nominal Chairman of other NATO Main Committees. He holds the post of Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer of NATO. In addition, the Secretary General is Chairman of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council and the Mediterranean Cooperation Group, and co-Chairs (with the representative of Russia and the representative of a NATO country, acting as Honorary Chairman) of the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council. He also co-chairs, together with the representative of Ukraine, the NATO-Ukraine Commission.

International Secretariat. The work of the North Atlantic Council and its subordinate committees is carried out with the help of the International Secretariat. It is composed of personnel from various Member States, recruited directly by NATO or seconded by their respective governments. International Secretariat staff report to the NATO Secretary General and remain loyal to the organization for the duration of their tenure.

Military Committee responsible for planning collective military operations and holding regular meetings at the chief level general staffs(NGSh). Iceland, which has no armed forces, is represented at such meetings by a civilian official. France has a special representative. The Committee is NATO's highest military body, working under the overall political leadership of the North Atlantic Council, the STOC and the NSG.

The day-to-day work of the Military Committee is conducted by military representatives acting on behalf of their chiefs of general staff. Military representatives have sufficient powers to allow the Military Committee to carry out its collective tasks and make decisions promptly.

The Military Committee at the level of the Chiefs of General Staff (CHG) usually meets three times a year. Two of these Military Committee meetings are held in Brussels, and one is held on a rotating basis in other NATO countries.

International Military Headquarters (IMS) is headed by a general or admiral who is selected by the Military Committee from among candidates nominated by NATO member states for the post of Chief of the International Military Staff (IMS). Under his leadership, the MHS is responsible for planning and evaluating policies on military issues and making appropriate recommendations to the Military Committee. He also ensures that the policies and decisions of the Military Committee are properly implemented in practice.

Command structure. The new command structure includes two strategic-level military commands. The first is the Allied Command Operation (ACO), to which all operational commands are subordinated - located at the headquarters Supreme Commander NATO Allied Forces Europe near Mons and is responsible for operational activities. The Joint Operations Command is developing requirements for short-term operations. At the operational level, there are two permanent Joint Force Commands (JFCs) in Italy and the Netherlands, which form the ground headquarters of the Multinational Joint Operational Tactical Force (MJTF). There is also a smaller but highly effective permanent Joint Headquarters in Portugal (JHQ) from which MOOTS naval headquarters can be established. At the tactical level, out of thirteen, six headquarters remain, designed to control large mixed formations.

The second is the NATO Allied Command for Transformation - the Combined Joint Task Force (ACT), created to replace the headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic and is responsible for the functional reorganization of the Alliance. It will focus on long-term force building. The focus will be on enhancing NATO interoperability and gradually narrowing the transatlantic capability gap through the exchange of the latest developments and research into new concepts of warfare. NATO Command Transformation will develop concepts and doctrines, prepare and conduct experiments, define future force requirements, oversee military education and training, and develop and evaluate interoperability and reorganization requirements. The Transformation Command will provide a means to synchronize national programs and force development to create more effective joint warfighting structures and promote increased interoperability that can ultimately enable the robust and flexible delivery of new missions in coalition efforts against new threats.

What are the forms of participation of European countries in NATO activities?

European participation in NATO activities takes a number of forms: joint defense planning; participation in an integrated military command structure; provision of armed forces to NATO command; maintaining infrastructure; co-ownership of defense systems; participation in NATO nuclear planning; defense-industrial cooperation.

Joint defense planning is the basis of NATO activities and is the foundationfor all other forms of defense integration. Joint defense planning is cyclical: plans are drawn up for six, five and two years (the main planning cycle) with annual adjustments. The purpose of joint defense planning is to develop agreed upon optimal plans for the development of national forces. The criterion for optimality is the effectiveness of collective defense. The plan drawn up for each country is then carried out by that country itself and does not imply any centralized control.

All NATO countries except France and Iceland take part in joint defense planning. The reason for their non-participation is that France left the NATO military structure in 1966, remaining a party to the North Atlantic Treaty, and Iceland does not have armed forces.

Joint defense planning is a separate process from operational planning. Planning for operations such as peacekeeping operations is carried out on a case-by-case basis and supported by separate NATO structures. If collective defense planning is carried out mainly under the leadership of the Military Planning Committee, which brings together defense ministers and representatives, then operational planning is the responsibility of the Military Committee, which brings together the chiefs of general staff and their representatives. France, for example, does not participate in collective defense planning (although it does coordinate its plans) and its defense minister does not participate in the work of the Defense Planning Committee. However, France participates in the planning of joint operations and is accordingly represented in the Military Committee.

Based on joint defense planning within NATO, member countries have created a number of integrated structures. The scale of involvement of individual countries in them correlates with the so-called “fair share” of participation. For armed forces, it is determined by the share of the country's population in the total population of NATO countries.

IN integrated military command structure (multinational and national headquarters subordinate to a single NATO command) all European NATO members except France and Iceland participate. However, the Eurocorps headquarters in France is part of an integrated structure. Under existing rules, the Commander-in-Chief of NATO forces is a US representative, and his deputy is a European who is responsible for operations carried out with the help of NATO forces and assets in the interests of the EU.

The main headquarters, subordinate to a single command, are located in the following countries: Belgium (1 headquarters, the main command of NATO operations), Great Britain (3 headquarters), Germany (7 headquarters), Greece (1 headquarters), Spain (1 headquarters), Italy (4 headquarters), Luxembourg (1 headquarters), the Netherlands (1 headquarters), Portugal (1 headquarters), Turkey (2 headquarters), France (1 headquarters).

Contribution of forces to NATO command has three main forms. The first form covers a small number of forces that are transferred to NATO command on a permanent basis, both military and Peaceful time. These are the naval and air force units (AWACS) that are on constant readiness. Their total number is several thousand people, about 10 ships and up to 20 aircraft. The second form can be considered the main one for NATO. It consists in the fact that the armed forces remain under national administrative management, but undergo combat training according to the plans of the NATO integrated command structure and are transferred to NATO control in the event combat use. NATO encourages member countries to create multinational forces, which are transferred to NATO control as a single unit. In this case, administration is carried out collectively by several countries according to procedures agreed upon between them. The main multinational NATO formations today are the Rapid Deployment Corps, the German-American and German-Danish Corps, as well as the Eurocorps. The third form is the "designation" of national forces without transferring them. Such forces can be used to benefit NATO if necessary, but they are trained as part of national programs.

All NATO countries except France and Iceland (for the reasons stated above) contribute military forces to NATO in one form or another. The degree of participation ranges from a company (for the Baltic countries) to several divisions (for Germany). In general, the number of forces allocated by a certain country to NATO correlates with the number of NATO headquarters located on the territory of that country.

Unified infrastructure Command, control, control, computer processing, information and intelligence (C 5 I 2) NATO is financed from the general budget of the organization and includes the following subsystems: ACCIS (Integrated Command System), NADGE (Air Defense Ground Command and Information Infrastructure), RIS (Integrated Infrastructure radars), NIS (identification system), NICS (integrated communication system, including satellite). Funding from NATO budgets involves shared ownership and distribution of the financial burden in accordance with countries' "fair share" of participation. The creators of these systems are mainly defense companies in the USA (Motorola, Boeing), Great Britain (BAE Systems), Germany (Siemens), Italy (Finmeccanica), and the Netherlands (Philips). The participation of French companies and the European concern EADS is limited due to France's position regarding NATO's integrated structures. IN Lately, the situation is changing due to the deployment of a new generation of NATO satellite communications system and unified system AGS theater surveillance.

The satellite communications system, called Satcom Post 2000, will be the fifth in NATO history. Its operation began in 2005 and will last until 2019. Unlike previous systems, Satcom Post 2000 will be operated according to new scheme, which will significantly reduce its cost.

Previously, NATO had two satellites deployed in the early 90s called NATO IV. Its deployment was carried out by Great Britain at the request of the Alliance. In fact, the NATO IV system satellites are identical to the British SKYNET 4. Since the UK does not have its own launch systems, the launch of these satellites is carried out by American and French launch vehicles. Even earlier, NATO owned a system called NATO III, which was created and deployed by the United States.

Satcom Post 2000 system will cost NATO$ 457 million. Such a small price for a space constellation of modern military communications satellites was achieved thanks to the combination of Satcom Post 2000 deployment plans with national space programs Great Britain, France and Italy. It is assumed that Satcom Post 2000 will consist of mutually compatible satellites of different manufacturers - French SYRACUSE, Italian SICRAL and British SKYNET. Moreover, all of them will be simultaneously used within the framework of the national programs of these countries.

In addition to these unified structures, a number of countries allocate part of their national C 5 I 2 systems for collaboration with NATO systems. These are, first of all, Germany, Great Britain, Portugal, the Netherlands, and Iceland.

Important although very limited form participation in NATO is co-ownership of common weapons systems . Such systems are purchased from NATO budgets and are centrally managed. Today, the only operational example of such a system is the AWACS airborne early warning system, consisting of 18 AWACS aircraft E-W American production. For legal reasons(in the modern international system, only national governments have the right to own major types of weapons, except small arms) these aircraft are assigned to the Luxembourg Air Force. 13 countries are participating in the overall purchase and, accordingly, collective operation: Belgium, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Spain, Italy, Canada, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the USA and Turkey. The UK and France have their own fleet of E-Z aircraft, which can be used in a single system.

NATO has now begun the collective deployment of another system - AGS. This theater surveillance system is also known as "Eye in the Sky". According to plans, AGS should be put into operation before 2010. To this end, on behalf of NATO, a contract worth close to 4 billion euros was signed with a consortium of manufacturers.

Plans to create a system that would allow NATO to have an integrated information and target picture of the theater of operations have been developed since the early 90s. However, the complexity of the system and competition between European and American defense companies prevented implementation. These plans gained new impetus after the Alliance began creating new rapid reaction forces that will have global application. The AGS system, first of all, must ensure the conduct of operations of these forces.

Two transatlantic consortia took part in the tender for the development of the system at the last stage - one led by the European company EADS and the American Northrop Grumman (the so-called TIPS), the other consisting of the American Raytheon, the German Siemens and the British-Italian Alenia Marconi. The winner was the TIPS consortium, which proposed a combination of modernized European A320 aircraft and American Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles. If implemented, AGS will become the second system of its class in the world after the American JSTARS, which is monopoly owned by the United States.

Joint nuclear planning has both a purely political aspect and a practical military aspect . Seven European states, under special agreements with the United States, provide infrastructure and forces to plan operations using American tactical nuclear weapons in Europe (B-61 bombs) in the interests of NATO. B‑61 bombs are designed for tactical aircraft A‑7, F‑15E, F‑16 and Tornado. According to most sources, their number currently numbers no more than two hundred, although there are reports of five hundred bombs. Based infrastructure is available at 13 bases in seven countries of Europe. Four bases belong to the US Air Force (one base each in the UK, Italy, Germany and Turkey), three to Germany, two to the UK (one in national territory and one in Germany), two in Turkey, one each in the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Greece. In addition to Great Britain, the remaining six states - Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey - are nuclear-free. These countries, in accordance with special agreements with the United States, allocate tactical aviation units from their armed forces, which are trained and certified for possible missions with American nuclear weapons. All French weapons are located on national territory and are not used in extended nuclear deterrence procedures.

The remaining member countries participate in nuclear planning at the political level through the Nuclear Planning Group.

An important aspect of NATO activities (primarily joint defense planning and a unified defense system classified information), is stimulation of defense-industrial integration , although this process itself lies outside the competence of NATO. NATO budgets are small (about $1.5 billion per year) and they are not intended for joint defense procurement, except for the exceptions described earlier. At the same time, NATO facilitates joint procurement of defense products among member countries where optimal joint defense planning requires it. For this purpose, special committees are created within NATO that act on behalf of the collective customer. This consolidation of orders contributes to the consolidation of production, since international consortiums of defense companies representing customer countries have the greatest chance of winning tenders. Currently aboutThe main role is played by the following committees: NAMEADSMA (USA, Germany, Italy) to coordinate the creation of an expanded MEADS missile defense system; NETMA (UK, Germany, Spain, Italy) to coordinate the production of Eurofighter combat aircraft (Previously, this committee dealt with Tornado combat aircraft) ; NAHEMA (Germany, Italy, Netherlands, France) to coordinate the production of NH-90 helicopters; NHMO (Italy, France) to coordinate the operation of the air defense system HAWK . The customer for the new AGS theater surveillance system is the AgencyNC3A, representing NATO as an organization.

All post-war period stories Soviet Union passed under the sign of opposition to the military-political NATO bloc. The international situation is also very difficult for modern Russia. Therefore, there is reason to more carefully analyze history and current state of this union. For the Russian Federation, it is of significant importance which countries are members of NATO and which states intend to join this structure. Despite the repeated assurances of the modern leadership of the North Atlantic Alliance that it does not see Russia among its enemies, the very fact of the existence of this Russian structure, to put it mildly, is not indifferent.

From the prehistory of the formation of military blocs in Europe

The most important prerequisite for the creation of the North Atlantic military bloc was the international situation that emerged after the end of World War II. The creation of this military-political structure was due to the polarization of forces and military-industrial potentials of the countries, divided into two large groups. Around the war-winning Soviet Union in Eastern Europe a whole belt of countries of the so-called “socialist camp” dependent on it was formed. The countries of Western Europe felt an immediate threat from expansion from the east. This confronted them with the need for military-political integration to maintain the established post-war borders and preserve their sovereignty.

This balance of power gives the answer to the question of which countries are members of NATO. At the time of its formation, twelve countries joined the organization. These were states that did not enter the orbit of Soviet influence. They had no desire to be in it. Geographically, they were located outside the zone of influence of the Soviet Union. Of course, the Soviet point of view on the prehistory of the creation of the NATO bloc is diametrically opposed and is based on the assertion about the initially aggressive nature of the organization created in 1949 in Brussels. This explains the need to resist potential expansion from the west.

How it all began

The official date of formation of the military-political bloc is considered to be April 4, 1949. On this day, ten European states, the United States of America and Canada put their signatures on the North Atlantic Treaty. The European members of the alliance since its founding are: Great Britain, Belgium, France, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Denmark, Portugal and Italy.

NATO member countries have voluntarily accepted a number of international obligations. First of all, these include bringing the national armed forces of each participating state to common standards in weapons and equipment and their subordination to a single command.

In addition, the countries that are members of NATO agreed on the volume of the military budget of each state, expressed in percentage to gross domestic product. The leadership of the alliance announced the fundamental openness of the organization to the entry of new members into it. The most important principle the existence of the North Atlantic military-political bloc is an obligation according to which NATO countries regard aggression against each of them as an attack on the entire alliance, with all the military decisions ensuing from this situation. Subsequently, this principle proved its effectiveness. In the entire history of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, no direct attacks on its members have been recorded. There was simply no one willing to test the strength of the most powerful military-political structure in the world.

Consequences of the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty

NATO countries occupy a fairly significant territory on the world map, and it is located in the northern part of the Atlantic, which is reflected in the name of the alliance. At the time of its formation, the military-political bloc included the most economically developed and politically significant states. The creation of the North Atlantic Alliance was of fundamental importance for the development of the entire civilization during the second half of the twentieth century.

In 1954, at an international meeting of foreign ministers in Berlin, the Soviet representative put forward a proposal to the NATO bloc on cooperation and interaction in maintaining peace and international stability. This proposal was rejected. The Soviet Union rightly assessed the activities of the North Atlantic military bloc as an immediate danger to its existence and was forced to take the necessary measures to repel potential aggression. They expressed themselves in the creation of the Organization of Nations Warsaw Pact, opposing the NATO bloc in all directions.

The entire subsequent period of European and world history is designated by the definition of “Cold War”. This war, fortunately, was not destined to enter the “hot” stage. Periods of its aggravation were several times replaced by a relaxation of tension. Critical point cold war it is considered to be the so-called Caribbean crisis in October 1962. The confrontation between the Soviet Union and the NATO bloc at this point in time reached its culmination. In subsequent years, intense work was carried out to reduce international tension. A number of fundamental agreements were signed aimed at limiting the deployment of strategic nuclear weapons and reducing the level of confrontation between the North Atlantic Alliance and the Warsaw Pact countries. But even after the signing of documents on nuclear disarmament, the power of the combined nuclear potential of both sides of the confrontation was sufficient to several times destroy all life on planet Earth.

Arms race

NATO countries confronted the Warsaw Pact states not only in the intended theater of military operations. Crucial in this confrontation were the industrial potentials of the countries included in the military blocs and the level of weapons production. It is generally accepted that military expenditures are very burdensome for the budget and require savings on social programs. But the rapid development of weapons production technologies in the second half of the twentieth century, determined by the confrontation between two military-political systems, also had positive meaning. It is expressed in the growth of the industrial potential of countries participating in the arms race. And the countries that are members of NATO turned out to be the winners in this competition. The Soviet economy turned out to be less efficient, which led to the collapse of both the Soviet Union and the military-political bloc of Warsaw Pact countries it led.

Even today, the weapons of NATO countries are unrivaled in most tactical and technical indicators. Among the indirect consequences of the arms race between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Soviet Union is such a twentieth-century phenomenon as space exploration. Initially, ballistic missiles were developed to deliver thermonuclear warheads to other continents. But today space technology have found the widest application in various fields: from the creation of information communication systems to scientific research on wide range directions.

Expansion of the North Atlantic Alliance

In order to correctly answer the question of which countries are members of NATO, first of all, it is necessary to clarify what period of time we are talking about. The fact is that the North Atlantic Alliance has gone through six stages during its existence, after which the number of countries party to the treaty increased. History has proven the effectiveness of this military-political bloc. Membership in it is attractive for its participants. In addition to international prestige, it guarantees security to all parties to the treaty.

Therefore, a map of NATO countries, including most of Europe and the two largest states North America, is not stable. The territory of the countries that are members of the North Atlantic Alliance has stable trend to expansion. This was especially evident at the beginning of the twenty-first century, when a significant number of independent states, formerly part of the Soviet Union and Yugoslavia.

The process of integration into the alliance structure occurs gradually, in several stages. The decision to admit a country to membership in the organization is made by the NATO Council on the basis of consensus. That is, any of the organization’s member countries has the right to block the entry of new states into it. NATO member countries are required to meet a whole range of military, organizational and economic criteria. Therefore, candidates are prescribed a number of conditions that they must fulfill in order to join the organization - the so-called “Road Map”.

Its implementation is associated with significant difficulties and financial costs. Sometimes this lasts for a long time. Therefore, the question of how many countries are in NATO should only be asked in relation to a specific historical date. We should not forget about the states that are in the process of integration. This means that new NATO countries may soon emerge. As of 2014, there are 28 of them. And this figure cannot be considered final.

NATO allies

Not all states strive to become full members of the alliance. Some simply do not have sufficient economic and military potential for such membership. For a number of countries, the alliance’s charter provides for a special allied status and partnership programs. These states should not be included in the list when answering the question about which countries are members of NATO. They are not full members of the alliance. The degree of involvement in relations with NATO for different countries varies quite widely.

The principle of relations with allies is determined by the name of the program - “Partnership for Peace”. Relations with the North Atlantic Alliance help maintain stability in various regions. NATO countries and states included in the partnership program with them often carry out joint military operations to suppress flaring military conflicts.

Geographically, some of the members of the Partnership for Peace are located far beyond Europe. For example, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan. But the cooperation of these countries with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization helps maintain peace and stability in remote regions of the Eurasian continent. Many developing countries want to join this partnership program; it is beneficial for them both economically and militarily.

The beginning of the nineties of the twentieth century was marked by the collapse of communist regimes in a number of countries in Eastern Europe. Not only the Warsaw Pact Organization ceased to exist, but also the Soviet Union that led it. After its collapse, the world entered a new era of existence, without a split into opposing military-political blocs.

It would seem an obvious decision to think about the dissolution of the North Atlantic Alliance, as it has successfully completed its historical mission. However, nothing of the kind happened. The NATO bloc, whose countries felt like winners in a protracted Cold War, did not even think of dissolving itself. An attempt to raise this question for discussion was followed by a completely reasonable answer: why liquidate something in which so much money and effort was invested and which has proven its effectiveness?

The most important argument in favor of the continued existence of the North Atlantic Alliance was the role that this organization plays in maintaining European and world stability. The matter was further complicated by the fact that a fairly significant group of countries from the former socialist camp expressed a desire to integrate into the NATO structure and become its full members. Most of the new states expressed their intention to integrate into the system of the existing alliance. The composition of NATO countries was replenished in several stages with these newly formed states.

Russia and NATO

The Russian Federation, as the historical heir of the Soviet Union, was offered a special role in cooperation with the alliance. In May 1997, the Founding Act regulating Russia's relations with NATO was signed in Paris. According to this document, the alliance is obliged to inform the Russian Federation about the preparation of significant documents, but Russia does not have the right to veto decisions. Under the Partnership for Peace program, our country takes part in the alliance’s peacekeeping operations in Europe and around the world. NATO member countries are forced to reckon with the nuclear status of the Russian Federation.

In the socio-political field of Russian society, a negative attitude towards the North Atlantic military-political alliance prevails. This is due to the historical memory of several generations Soviet people, in whose minds the armies of NATO countries were clearly identified with the forces of world evil. The image of the enemy has been formed over many years and decades, and the situation cannot be quickly changed by simple declamations that the alliance does not consider Russia its enemy. But looking at the total military-industrial potential of the North Atlantic bloc, it is difficult to find in the world another military force comparable in size against which this power is deployed. Therefore, the Russian Federation has reason to be suspicious of statements about the peace-loving nature of the alliance.

The situation is aggravated by the fact that new NATO member countries often come out with clearly expressed anti-Russian rhetoric. We are talking, first of all, about the countries of the Baltic region - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. And also about new NATO members from among the Eastern European states, primarily about Poland. The most important principle foreign policy The Russian Federation has been opposing the eastward expansion of the North Atlantic Alliance for the last two decades. But it was not possible to achieve much success in this - the map of NATO countries in 2014 indicates that the organization’s territory is approaching the western borders of Russia. The greatest failure of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation should be considered the increasingly flaring Ukrainian crisis, which broke out after this country outlined its vector of development in the direction European Union with possible integration into NATO structures. It is impossible to predict the further development of these events. But there is currently an obvious escalation in tensions between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

List of NATO countries and features of the alliance structure

Currently, the North Atlantic bloc has reached the peak of its power. The total territory occupied by NATO countries is also maximum. For 2014 these are: Albania, Belgium, Bulgaria, Great Britain, Hungary, Germany, Greece, Denmark, Iceland, Spain, Italy, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, United States States of America, Turkey, France, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia. The official headquarters of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization is located in the capital of Belgium - Brussels.

The alliance is currently headed by Anders Fogh Rasmussen. This is the twelfth Secretary General of NATO. The command system of the military-political bloc is structured into five headquarters. Their activities are divided according to geographical basis, and by type of military service. The headquarters oversee the Eastern, Western and Southern sectors of the Atlantic, as well as the Strike Fleet and the Allied Submarine Command.

The armies of NATO countries are subject to a single supranational command. Their regulations, equipment and weapons are brought to a single standard. Despite the fact that the basis of the combat power of the alliance countries is their thermonuclear potential, common types NATO countries pay a lot of attention to weapons. This means that membership in the organization involves a fairly significant level of military expenses for its participants. The military budgets of NATO member states are approved by the leadership of the alliance.

Looking to the future

Attempts to predict the development of the European continent for many decades to come cannot be taken more seriously than an ordinary futurological forecast. But one thing is certain: the North Atlantic Treaty Organization will retain its importance and existence in the near and medium term. This structure has been tested by time and has managed to prove its effectiveness in ensuring stability and security on the continent. It is the key to successful economic and social development of the states participating in it. One of the most important trends in the development of the organization is the gradual shift of emphasis from military-political directions to humanitarian ones. In particular, to ensure the implementation rescue work when overcoming the consequences of significant natural disasters and man-made disasters.

An equally important area of ​​effort for the alliance is countering all forms of terrorist and extremist manifestations. Figuratively speaking, NATO structures are a kind of power framework that ensures the existence of the so-called “pan-European home.”

We often hear the question of whether it is possible for the Russian Federation to integrate into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as a full member? It is difficult to give a definite answer to this question. We can only state with certainty that if this happens, it will not be very soon. Nevertheless, top management The Russian Federation does not completely exclude such a possibility in the distant future. But today, against the backdrop of the aggravated international situation, it is not possible to talk about this.

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NATO- (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) (NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)), Western defensive alliance. powers Founded in 1949, it was intended primarily to counteract the growing military. threat from the USSR and its allies... The World History

NATO- Novosibirsk Association of Tourist Organizations since 1998 Novosibirsk, organization Source: http://www.regnum.ru/news/353410.html NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization English: NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization since 1949... ... Dictionary of abbreviations and abbreviations

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Unchanged; and. [ in capital letters] A military-political union of some European and North American countries, created in 1949 to repel external aggression. ● Abbreviation of English words: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Organization... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

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Books

• NATO and Russia. Our response to Western threats, Rogozin, Dmitry Olegovich. Dmitry Rogozin is a Russian politician and statesman. Until December 2011, he was Russia’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in…
• Nato Vachnadze. Meetings and impressions, Nato Vachnadze. Moscow, 1953. Goskinoizdat. With photo illustrations. Publisher's binding. The condition is good. Over 29 years of work in cinema, actress Nato Vachnadze has accumulated vast experience. A bunch of…

Today everyone has heard about this intergovernmental international organization and the world's largest military-political alliance. participating countries - this is the basic principle of the alliance called NATO. The list of countries included in it currently includes 28 states. All of them are located exclusively in two parts of the world - North America and Europe.

Goals, objectives and structure of the organization

NATO (an abbreviation for the English "North Atlantic Treaty Organization") is an international organization of the countries of Europe and North America. The main goal of the military-political alliance is to ensure freedom for all member countries of the alliance. All activities of this structure are based on democratic values ​​and freedoms, as well as on the principles of the rule of law.

The organization is based on the principle of collective security of states. In other words, in the event of aggression or military intervention in one of the alliance member countries, other NATO members are obliged to jointly respond to this military threat. The activities of the alliance are also manifested in the regular holding of joint armies of the participating countries.

The structure of the organization is represented by three main bodies. This:

• North Atlantic Council;
• Defense Planning Committee;
• Nuclear Planning Committee.

They cooperate not only in the military field, but also in other spheres of society, such as ecology, science, emergency situations, and so on.

An integral part of the alliance's work is consultations between its members. Thus, any decision is made only on the basis of consensus. That is, each of the participating countries must vote for one or another decision of the organization. Sometimes discussions of certain issues drag on for a long time, but NATO almost always managed to reach consensus.

History of the creation and expansion of the alliance

The formation of a military-political alliance began almost immediately after the end of World War II. Historians name two main reasons that made the heads of leading powers think about new system security. The first is the threat of revenge of the Nazi movements in post-war Germany, and the second is the active spread by the Soviet Union of its influence in the countries of Eastern and Central Europe.

As a result, on April 4, 1949, the so-called North Atlantic Treaty, which marked the beginning of the formation of a new alliance under the abbreviation NATO. The list of countries that signed this document included 12 states. They were the USA, Canada, France, Portugal, Norway, Belgium, Great Britain, Denmark, Italy, Iceland, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. They are considered the founders of this powerful military-political bloc.

In subsequent years, other states joined the NATO bloc. The largest addition to the alliance occurred in 2004, when 7 Eastern European states became new NATO members. Currently, the geography of the alliance continues to move east. Thus, recently, the heads of countries such as Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine expressed their intention to join NATO.

It should be noted that during the Cold War, the image of NATO was deliberately demonized by Soviet propaganda. The USSR artificially made the alliance its main enemy. This explains the rather low support for the bloc's policies in a number of post-Soviet states.

NATO: list of countries and geography of the alliance

What states are part of this international organization today? Thus, all NATO countries (as of 2014) are listed below in the chronological order of their entry into the alliance:

1. Canada;
2. France;
3. Portugal;
4. Kingdom of Norway;
5. Kingdom of Belgium;
6. Great Britain;
7. Kingdom of Denmark;
8. Italy;
9. Iceland;
10. Netherlands;
11. Duchy of Luxembourg;
12. Türkiye;
13. Hellenic Republic;
14. Germany;
15. Spain;
16. Republic of Poland;
17. Czech Republic;
18. Hungary;
19. Republic of Bulgaria;
20. Romania;
21. Slovakia;
22. Slovenia;
23. Estonia;
24. Latvia;
25. Lithuania;
26. Croatia;
27. Republic of Albania.

The military-political union includes exclusively European countries, as well as two North American states. Below you can see how all NATO countries are located on the world map.

Finally

April 4, 1949 - this date can be considered the starting point in the history of the international organization under the abbreviation NATO. The list of countries that are included in it is slowly but systematically growing. As of 2015, 28 states are members of the alliance. It is quite possible that in the near future the organization will be replenished with new member countries.

NATO is one of the most influential military-political associations in the world. It has been in existence for over 60 years. Initially, the alliance was created as a structure designed to counteract the policies of the USSR and the possible revival of the military aspirations of capitulated Germany. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, most Eastern European countries joined NATO. former socialist camp. A number of analysts talk about the prospects for Georgia and Ukraine joining the bloc (albeit in the distant future). An interesting fact is that attempts to join NATO (or declare a joint military-political cooperation on key issues of a global nature) were done by both the USSR and modern Russia. NATO currently includes 28 countries.

The leading role militarily in this organization is played by the United States. The bloc oversees the Partnership for Peace program and, together with the Russian Federation, organizes the work of the Russia-NATO Council. It consists of two main structures - the International Secretariat and the Military Committee. Possesses a huge military resource (Reaction Force). NATO headquarters is located in the Belgian capital Brussels. The alliance has two official languages- French and English. The organization is governed by the NATO budget, which is divided into three types - civilian, military (the most financially intensive) and in terms of funding the security program. The alliance's military forces participated in armed conflicts in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992-1995), Yugoslavia (1999), and Libya (2011). NATO leads the international military contingent to ensure security in Kosovo and participates in solving military-political problems in Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Monitors interaction between military structures in the region Mediterranean Sea, identifying organizations involved in the supply of weapons of mass destruction. The Alliance actively participates in international dialogues with Russia, China, India and other major powers. According to a number of researchers, tension between NATO and Russia as the legal successor of the USSR has never disappeared, and at the moment continues to grow.

Creation of NATO

The NATO bloc was formed in 1949 by twelve states. Geographically, the leading countries of the created organization, including the United States, the most influential state politically and militarily, had access to the Atlantic Ocean, which influenced the name of the new international structure. NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, that is, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It is often referred to as the North Atlantic Alliance.

The purpose of creating the bloc was to counter the political aspirations of the Soviet Union and its friendly countries in Eastern Europe and other parts of the world. According to treaties between NATO countries, mutual military protection was provided in the event of aggression by states of the communist world. At the same time, this political union contributed to integration trends in the countries that formed it. Greece and Turkey joined NATO in 1952, Germany in 1956, and Spain in 1982. After the collapse of the USSR, the bloc further expanded its influence in the world.

NATO after the collapse of the USSR

When the USSR collapsed, it would seem that the need for the continued existence of the North Atlantic Alliance disappeared. But it didn't turn out that way. NATO members not only decided to maintain the bloc, but also began to expand their influence. In 1991, the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council was created, which began to oversee work with countries outside the NATO bloc. In the same year, bilateral agreements were signed between the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance, Russia and Ukraine.

In 1995, a program was established to build a dialogue with the countries of the Middle East (Israel and Jordan), North Africa(Egypt, Tunisia) and the Mediterranean. Mauritania, Morocco and Algeria also joined it. In 2002, the Russia-NATO Council was created, which allowed the countries to continue to build a dialogue on key issues of world politics - the fight against terrorism, limiting the proliferation of weapons.

NATO uniform

The NATO uniform that the bloc's soldiers wear has never been unified. Military camouflage on national standards, all that is more or less similar is green and khaki shades. Sometimes military personnel wear additional types clothing (so-called camouflage overalls) when conducting special operations in special conditions (desert or steppe). In some countries, NATO uniforms contain various designs and patterns to better camouflage soldiers.

In the USA, for example, the most popular camouflage colors are in five main standards. Firstly, this is woodland - clothes with four shades of green. Secondly, this is desert 3 color - a uniform for military operations in the desert, containing three shades. Thirdly, this is desert 6-color - another option for clothing for combat in desert conditions, this time with six shades. And there are two winter options military uniform - winter (light or milky white color) and snow winter (absolutely snow-white shade). This whole color scheme is a reference for designers of many other armies that dress their soldiers in NATO camouflage.

The evolution of the military uniform of the US Army is interesting. Camouflage as such is a relatively recent invention. Until the early 70s American soldiers They wore mostly green clothes. But during the operation in Vietnam, this color scheme turned out to not meet the requirements of fighting in the jungle, as a result, the soldiers dressed in camouflage, allowing them to camouflage in the tropical forest. In the 70s, this type of uniform became almost a national standard for the US Army. Gradually, modifications of camouflage appeared - those same five shades.

NATO armed forces

The NATO bloc has significant forces in total - the largest in the world, as some military experts believe. There are two types of troops in the Alliance - joint and national. The key element of NATO's Type 1 army is the reaction force. They are ready for almost immediate participation in special operations in zones of local and spontaneous military conflicts, including in countries outside the bloc. NATO also has an immediate response force. Moreover, the emphasis in their use is not on practical application weapons, and for a psychological effect - by transferring to the place of hostilities large quantity various weapons and a soldier. The expectation is that the warring parties, realizing the impending power of NATO, will change their tactics in favor of a peaceful settlement.

The bloc has powerful NATO aircraft - 22 combat aviation squadrons (about 500 units of aircraft). The block also has 80 military transport aircraft at its disposal. NATO countries also have combat-ready fleets. It includes aircraft carriers, submarines (including multi-purpose nuclear submarines), frigates, missile boats, as well as naval aviation. Warships NATO numbers more than 100 units.

The biggest military structure NATO is the main defensive force. Their use is possible only in the event of large-scale military operations in the Atlantic region. In peacetime, they participate in combat operations mainly partially. NATO's main defense forces include more than 4,000 aircraft and more than 500 ships.

How NATO expanded

So, after the collapse of the USSR, the NATO bloc continued to exist, moreover, it intensified its influence in the world. In 1999 in North Atlantic Alliance states that had recently been part of the sphere of influence of the Soviet Union - Hungary, Poland and the Czech Republic - entered. Five years later - other former socialist countries: Bulgaria, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, as well as the Baltic states. In 2009, new NATO members appeared - Albania and Croatia. Against the backdrop of the political crisis and fighting in Ukraine, some experts believe that NATO will not show any desire to expand further. In particular, during negotiations between the leadership of the bloc and representatives of Ukraine, the question of the country's entry into NATO, analysts note, is not directly raised.

At the same time, according to a number of experts, many countries express a desire to join the bloc. These are primarily the Balkan states - Montenegro, Macedonia, as well as Bosnia and Herzegovina. Speaking about which countries are striving to join NATO with all their might, Georgia should be noted. True, according to some analysts, the conflicts in Abkhazia and South Ossetia are factors that reduce the country’s attractiveness for the bloc. There is an opinion among experts that further expansion of NATO depends on Russia’s position. For example, at the summit in Bucharest, held in 2008, the bloc admitted the possibility of some accession but did not give specific dates due to Vladimir Putin’s opinion voiced at the event that the emergence of NATO near Russia’s borders is a direct threat. This position of the Russian Federation remains relevant today. However, some Western analysts consider Russia's fears unfounded.

Alliance military exercises

Because NATO is military organization, the practice of large-scale army exercises is common for her. They involve the most different types troops. At the end of 2013, what was considered by many to be the largest NATO exercise called Steadfast Jazz was held in Eastern Europe. They were hosted by Poland and the Baltic states - Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. NATO convened more than six thousand military personnel from different countries to participate in the exercises, attracted three hundred combat vehicles, over 50 aircraft, and 13 warships. The conditional enemy of the bloc was the fictional state of “Botnia”, which committed an act of aggression against Estonia.

The country invented by military analysts was experiencing social, political and economic crisis, as a result of which it spoiled relations with foreign partners. As a result, the contradictions resulted in a war, which began with the invasion of “Botnia” in Estonia. Based on collective defense agreements, the military-political NATO bloc decided to immediately transfer forces to protect the small Baltic state.

Some stages of the exercise were observed by representatives of the Russian armed forces (in turn, several months earlier, the joint maneuvers of the Russian Federation and Belarus were observed by NATO military personnel). The leadership of the North Atlantic bloc spoke about the possibility of holding joint military events with Russia. Experts noted that the mutual openness of NATO and the Russian Federation during military exercises helps to increase trust.

NATO and the United States, the bloc's leading military power, have planned exercises in the countries Southern Europe in 2015. It is expected that about 40 thousand soldiers will participate in them.

Weapons of the North Atlantic Alliance

Russian military experts name several examples of military equipment from the bloc, which have no analogues in the world or very few. This is a NATO weapon, indicating the high combat capability of the Alliance army. Russia, military analysts believe, needs to be particularly wary of five types of weapons. Firstly, this is a British-made Challenger 2 tank. It is armed with a 120 mm cannon and equipped with powerful armor. The tank is capable of moving at a good speed - about 25 miles per hour. Secondly, this is a submarine assembled according to the so-called “Project 212” by German defense enterprises. It is characterized by low noise, decent speed (20 knots), excellent armament (WASS 184, DM2A4 torpedoes), as well as missile system. Thirdly, the NATO army has combat aircraft. Their characteristics are close to those of the so-called fifth generation fighters - the American F-22 and the Russian T-50. The vehicle is equipped with a 27-mm cannon and many types of air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles. Some experts believe that only the newest models of Russian aircraft, such as the Su-35, can compete on an equal footing with the Typhoon. Another notable NATO weapon is the Eurocopter Tiger helicopter, jointly produced by France and Germany. In terms of its characteristics, it is close to the legendary American AH-64 Apache, but is smaller in size and weight, which can give the vehicle an advantage during combat. The helicopter is armed with a variety of missiles (air-to-air, anti-tank). The Spike missile, which is produced by Israeli defense companies, is another model of NATO weapons that analysts say the Russian military should pay attention to. Spike is an effective anti-tank weapon. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it is equipped with a two-stage warhead: the first penetrates the outer layer of the tank’s armor, the second penetrates the inner layer.

Alliance military bases

On the territory of each of the countries of the North Atlantic Alliance there is at least one military base NATO. Let's take Hungary as an example. former country socialist camp. The first NATO base appeared here in 1998. The US government used the Hungarian Tasar airfield during the operation with Yugoslavia - mainly drones and F-18 aircraft flew from here. At the same air force base in 2003, military specialists from opposition groups in Iraq trained (shortly before the US Army began hostilities in this Middle Eastern country). Speaking about the Americans' allies among Western countries regarding the deployment of military bases on their territory, it is worth special mentioning Italy. Immediately after the end of World War II, this state began to host large contingents naval forces USA.

The Pentagon now operates ports in Naples, as well as airfields in Vicenza, Piacenza, Trapani, Istrana and many other Italian cities. The most famous NATO base in Italy is Aviano. It was built back in the 50s, but is still considered by many military experts to be the best in the region. In addition to the infrastructure for taking off and landing aircraft, there are hangars in which aircraft can take refuge in the event of bombing. There is navigation equipment, with the use of which combat missions can be carried out at night and in almost any weather. New NATO bases in Europe include Bezmer, Graf Ignatievo and Novo Selo in Bulgaria. As the government of this Balkan country considered, the deployment of NATO troops will strengthen the security of the state and will also have a positive impact on the level of training of the armed forces.

Russia and NATO

Despite long experience political confrontation in the 20th century, they are making attempts at constructive interaction in the international arena. As mentioned above, in 1991 a number of documents were signed on joint decision some issues in world politics. In 1994, the Russian Federation joined the Partnership for Peace program initiated by the North Atlantic Alliance. In 1997, Russia and NATO signed an act on cooperation and security, and the Permanent Joint Council was created, which soon became the main resource for finding consensus in the course of consultations between the Russian Federation and the bloc. Events in Kosovo, according to analysts, have greatly undermined the mutual trust of Russia and the alliance. But despite this, cooperation continued. In particular, the work of the Council includes regular diplomatic meetings between ambassadors and army representatives. The main areas of cooperation within the Council are the fight against terrorism, control of weapons of mass destruction, missile defense, as well as interaction in emergency situations. One of the key points of cooperation is the suppression of drug trafficking in Central Asia. Relations between the bloc and the Russian Federation became complicated after the war in Georgia in August 2008, as a result of which the dialogue within the Russia-NATO Council was suspended. But already in the summer of 2009, thanks to the efforts of the foreign ministers, the Council resumed work in a number of key areas.

Prospects for the North Atlantic Alliance

A number of experts believe that the continued existence of NATO and the prospects for expanding the bloc’s influence depend on the state of the economies of the participating countries. The fact is that military partnership within this organization implies a certain percentage of expenses state budgets allies for defense. But now the state of affairs in the fiscal policy of many developed countries is far from ideal. The governments of a number of NATO member states, as analysts believe, do not have the financial resources for large-scale investments in the armed forces. Moreover, the example of the United States is indicative - it was estimated that military interventions in recent years have brought losses to the American economy of one and a half trillion dollars. Apparently, none of the allies wants to experience similar effects from using military force on the world stage. In 2010-2013, the budget allocations of most European NATO countries for defense did not exceed 2% of GDP (only Great Britain, Greece and Estonia had more). While in the 90s, a figure of 3-4% was considered quite natural.

There is a version that the EU countries are inclined to carry out a process independent from the United States. Germany is particularly active in this direction. But this again comes down to the financial component: creating armed forces in Europe comparable to the American ones could cost hundreds of billions of dollars. EU countries experiencing economic stagnation may not be able to afford such costs.