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NATO stands for "North Atlantic Treaty Organization". This is a military-political bloc that unites most of the countries of Europe, the United States and Canada. Founded April 4, 1949 in the United States, "to protect Europe from Soviet influence." This is a "transatlantic forum" for consultations by Allied countries on any issues affecting the vital important interests its members, including events that could endanger their security. One of NATO's stated goals is to provide deterrence or protection against any form of aggression against the territory of any NATO member state.

What countries are in NATO? The total membership of the North Atlantic Alliance is 28 countries, five countries are participating in NATO's programs to expand partnerships, Serbia is negotiating to join the program individual plan partnership with NATO, while Finland announced the possibility of joining NATO in the future. The military spending of all NATO members combined amounts to more than 70 percent of the global volume.

Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium.
General Secretary: Jens Stoltenberg.
Official site:nato.int
NATO in in social networks : Twitter , Facebook , YouTube

NATO member countries have agreed to adhere to the principles established by the Washington Treaty. Countries wishing to join the Alliance must go through a multi-stage process, including political dialogue and military integration, and also meet certain requirements, namely:

• resolve international disputes peacefully;
• demonstrate commitment to the principles of the rule of law and human rights;
• resolve peacefully inter-ethnic conflicts and external territorial disputes, contentious issues of internal jurisdiction, in accordance with the principles of the OSCE and with the aim of striving to establish good neighborly relations;
• establish proper democratic and civilian control over their armed forces;
• refrain from the threat or use of force in any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the UN;
• promote the development of peaceful and friendly international relations by strengthening their free institutions and by promoting stability and well-being;
• continue to fully support and participate in the work of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council, in the Partnership for Peace program and the development of cooperation with partner countries that are not members of NATO;
• demonstrate commitment to strengthening stability and well-being through adherence to the principles of economic freedom, social justice and environmental responsibility;
• to make a contribution of a military nature to collective defense and to the fulfillment of new tasks facing the Alliance, as well as to be ready to assume obligations for the gradual improvement of their defense capability;
• participate properly in the work of NATO institutions;
• strive for standardization and interoperability;
• create, through the National Programme, the necessary structure for the planning and implementation of such military budgets, consistent with certain defense priorities, and provide for appropriate training schemes to familiarize personnel with existing NATO practices and procedures in order to prepare for possible future participation in the work of alliance structures;
• Familiarize yourself with the relevant legal mechanisms and agreements that govern NATO to ensure cooperation within its structure and the formal legal process that precedes membership.

NATO has signed a cooperation agreement with a number of European states. The program of interaction with these countries is called " Partnership for Peace". This program involves 22 non-NATO countries. Cyprus is the only non-participating member of the European Union. Turkey, which does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus, impedes the cooperation of this state with NATO, since the conflict between the Turkish and Greek parts of Cyprus remains unresolved.

Since the end of the Second World War, the political structure of the world has taken on a distinct shape. Strengthened after the defeat of Germany, the military-political power Soviet Union, the emergence in Eastern Europe of countries with a pro-communist orientation led to the fact that two poles of political influence were formed in the world. Europe was divided into two military camps. The borders of Western democracies eventually reformatted into the borders of NATO, a new military-political bloc. The post-war strategy of the US and Great Britain was clearly aimed at counteracting the expansion of communist ideology, at containing the military-political influence of the USSR on the world stage.

The defense of NATO became the cornerstone of the "cold war" that broke out in the world in the following years. With the collapse of the USSR, the bloc not only did not lose its relevance, on the contrary, it began to massively expand to the east and increase its sphere of influence on the territory of the countries of the former Soviet Union.

First, in Europe, under the auspices of Great Britain, the so-called Brussels Pact was formed, which included Belgium, Great Britain, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. A little later, on the basis of the military-political platform of the Brussels Document, a new military-political alliance was formed. In April 1949, the creation of NATO took its real shape. The founders of the new security organization were 12 Western European countries, including Iceland, Canada and the United States.

Goals pursued by the creation of the North Atlantic Alliance

Initially, the new military-political bloc was conceived as a defensive measure capable of ensuring collective security in Western Europe and throughout the North Atlantic region. This is seen not only in organizational structure new block, but also in its name. The abbreviation NATO (NATO) literally stands for North Atlantic Treaty Organization, translated c in English it is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Despite the fact that the main point of the Charter of the new organization was the protection of each member country of the alliance from aggressive attacks from an external enemy, the goals of the newly created organization were different. The increased prestige of the Soviet Union throughout the world after the victory over Germany forced the governments of the countries Western Europe look for ways and means of collective defense against the spread of the military-political influence of the USSR. The future form of NATO, the structure of the bloc was supposed to mark a voluntary association of countries pursuing common Western European cultural, social and economic values.

The good intentions that led to the creation of a military-defensive alliance skillfully disguise the desire of the military-political circles of the United States and Great Britain to legitimize military units located on the territory of countries after the end of the war. The locations of the Allied troops in West Germany, on the territory of Italy and Norway were to become NATO strongholds. Over time, air, naval and army bases were formed on the territory of each of the member countries of the alliance. The number of military bases and regular NATO exercises were supposed to provide a favorable operational and tactical environment for the military grouping of allied military formations in the European theater, in the Baltic and Black Sea basins.

At the heart of the main political line of the formed military-defensive alliance is the use of any opportunities to expand its sphere of influence. Direct evidence of the expansion of the bloc was the formation of military bases in the Far North and South, in the Black Sea region, along the entire perimeter of the western borders of the countries of the allies of the Soviet Union. NATO's plans, scheduled for implementation in the mid-1970s, indicated the desire of the bloc's military command to create belts of military tension around the countries of the Warsaw Treaty Organization and the USSR. Units of the joint forces were constantly present at military bases under the jurisdiction of the regional commands of the bloc, aviation units and nuclear missile weapons were deployed.

Organizational structure of the military bloc

Initially, the military-political bloc included 9 Western European countries, which were at one time the center of organized resistance to Hitler's expansion or whose territories were once occupied German troops. The countries of the winner, Great Britain and France, became members of the alliance. They were joined by Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Denmark, Norway, Iceland, Italy and Portugal. The political weight of the new military-defense structure was increased by the participation in it of the United States and Canada, whose troops were stationed on the territory of West Germany and Italy.

NATO headquarters was in Brussels. The Belgian capital was not chosen by chance as the main center of the North Atlantic bloc. This was facilitated by convenient geographical location Belgium and the active participation of this country in the creation of a new organization. Basic military force the new defensive alliance was the American, British and Canadian troops stationed on the European continent. Allied army units and air bases were located in Iceland and Norway. On the territory of Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy there were limited contingents of the armies of the victorious countries, aviation and naval forces were based. NATO exercises began to be held regularly, in which the army, air force and navies of the countries participating in the military bloc took part. The purpose of the exercises was to work out the interaction of the armed forces with various military structural organizations in order to achieve operational and tactical tasks.

The NATO army, which is a united military units located in the territory allied states. The main striking force in Central Europe first belonged to the American and British expeditionary forces. Later, with the entry into the bloc of the Federal Republic of Germany, the army units of the Bundeswehr began to play the role of a percussion instrument. On the southern flank, the main burden of the alliance's defense was borne by the Turkish army - the largest among all countries participating in the North Atlantic Alliance.

To date, the organization's unified armed forces include army, air force and naval units that represent NATO countries. In total, today the number of members of the military-political bloc includes 29 states. The military structure of the bloc is united by a common for all participating countries military uniform NATO, unified management. According to the latest data, the total number of NATO armed forces is 3 million 800 thousand people. There are two main wings of the military component - Allied Forces Northern Europe and Allied Forces Southern Europe.

The headquarters of the NATO bloc continues to remain in Brussels, however, in addition to it, a military command stationed in the Belgian Mons was added.

Increase in numbers Soviet troops in countries of Eastern Europe and on the territory of the Soviet zone of occupation of Germany, the suppression of the influence of pro-communist forces in Greece was the reason for the further expansion of the military-political alliance. In 1952, first Greece, followed by Turkey, became members of the organization, strengthening NATO's presence in the Black Sea. This was the period of the first eastward expansion of the North Atlantic bloc. Trying to reveal the true goals of the existence of a military-defensive alliance Western countries, the Soviet Union in 1954 applied to join the organization. According to the Supreme Political Leadership of the country, it was a natural desire to join the system of general collective security. The demarche of the USSR can be considered rather political, since it was immediately clear that it was the threat from the USSR that was considered as the backbone of the organization of the North Atlantic Alliance.

The second expansion of the Western Defense Alliance was associated with the entry into NATO of the Federal Republic of Germany. The military contingents of American and British troops stationed on the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany have increased military units Bundeswehr, which eventually became the main strike force of the North Atlantic bloc on land. As a counterbalance to the rapidly changing military and political situation on the European continent, the Soviet Union and its Eastern European allies organized their defensive organization. In 1955, NATO began to confront its real enemy - the Organization of the Warsaw Pact, which included the armed forces of the GDR, Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Romania, Albania and Bulgaria. Today, all of these countries are members of the NATO military alliance.

In Brussels, at NATO headquarters, the Defense Planning Committee, which is a collegiate body, was added to the then-existing governing bodies of the alliance. It included the ministers of defense of the member countries of the NATO bloc. Despite the bloc's constant desire to expand by attracting new members, there are moments in the history of the organization associated with the exit of countries from the membership of the bloc. So in 1966, France left the military component of the bloc, remaining as a political participant. Despite this, France took an active part in the military structure of the organization, conducting NATO exercises on its territory.

Intensive expansion of the bloc's sphere of influence began after the collapse of the Soviet Union. In early 1992, a new expansion strategy for the alliance was proclaimed at NATO headquarters in Brussels. The entry into NATO of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, the former republics of the Soviet Union, was the first stage in the new expansion of the Western defensive alliance to the East. To date, the promotion of the North Atlantic Alliance is due to the inclusion in the number of member countries formed on the site of the former Yugoslavia.

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NATO countries on the world map NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization (eng.) OTAN - Organization du traité de l "Atlantique Nord (fr.) NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization (rus.) official languages NATO are English and French 2

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) is an alliance designed to protect not only the power of a country, but also the values ​​that this power is placed at the service of. NATO does not protect state sovereignty or someone's geopolitical interests, but a certain type of human culture and civilization.

The NATO emblem is a white compass on a dark blue background. The circle symbolizes unity and cooperation, and the compass rose - a common path to peace. It was adopted on October 4, 1953 by the North Atlantic Council as the official symbol of the North Atlantic Alliance, after which a flag-raising ceremony was held in Paris.

NATO Headquarters NATO / NATO Headquarters The headquarters is located in Belgium, in the north-eastern part of Brussels, on Boulevard Léopold III (Boulevard Léopold III, 1110 Brussels, Belgium). It hosts delegations of member countries, communication and interaction bureaus or diplomatic missions of partner countries. NATO Headquarters is the political and administrative center of the Alliance and permanently hosts NATO's main political decision-making body, the North Atlantic Council.

NATO structure The North Atlantic Council (NATO Council) The highest political body of NATO which consists of representatives of all member states and holds its meetings under the chairmanship of the Secretary General of NATO. The North Atlantic Council may hold its meetings at the level of foreign ministers and heads of state and government. Council decisions are taken unanimously. Between sessions, the functions of the NATO Council are performed by the Permanent Council of NATO, which includes representatives of all member countries of the bloc in the rank of ambassadors.

NATO Structure NATO SECRETARY GENERAL The Secretary General is the chief official of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and has the status of an international civil servant. The Secretary General is responsible for leading the Alliance's consultation and decision-making process and Anders Fogh Rasmussen ensures that decisions are implemented. General Secretary becomes the decision is final, statesman NATO member country. when consensus is reached Appointed by the member countries for one nominee. For a four year term. Countries nominate candidates for this position at the end of the four-year term and spend their tenure. The unofficial diplomatic secretary general may be asked to consult with a view to selecting a suitable one to extend this term for another year. candidate

NATO STRATEGIC CONCEPT The new Strategic Concept, approved by the Alliance in 1999, defines NATO's primary tasks as follows: to be the basis of stability in the Euro-Atlantic area to serve as a forum for consultations on security issues to deter and protect against any threat of aggression against any of NATO member states to promote to effectively prevent conflicts and actively participate in crisis management to promote the development of comprehensive partnership, cooperation and dialogue with other countries of the Euro-Atlantic region

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, the North Atlantic Alliance is the world's largest military-political bloc, uniting most of the countries of Europe, the USA and Canada. Founded April 4, 1949 in the USA. Then 12 countries became NATO member states - the USA, Canada, Iceland, Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark, Italy and Portugal. It is a "transatlantic forum" for Allied countries to consult on any issue affecting the vital interests of its members, including events that could endanger their security. One of NATO's stated goals is to provide deterrence or defense against any form of aggression against the territory of any NATO member state.

Objectives According to North Atlantic Treaty 1949, NATO aims to promote stability and prosperity in the North Atlantic region. "Participating countries have joined forces to create a collective defense and maintain peace and security". According to the statement of the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Russia S. Ryabkov, made in March 2009: “an analysis of the activities of the alliance ... allows us to state increased attention on the part of the bloc to problems outside the traditional zone of geographical responsibility. In fact, this is a claim to a global role ... NATO for last years in practical terms, is active far outside its area of ​​​​responsibility and geographical boundaries» . He also noted that “in many NATO documents, especially after the bombing of Yugoslavia, the criteria for the use of force are formulated rather vaguely. In combination with a claim to a global role, this circumstance cannot remain outside the field of our attention and analysis. NATO Strategic Concept 2010 Active participation, modern defence” introduces NATO’s three critical missions – collective defence, crisis management and cooperative security

Structure. NATO is a grandiose military-political bloc of 28 states, which has all the necessary infrastructure and a system of bodies for its management. These are hundreds of committees, groups, services, departments or planning units, military and civilian (transport, medical, etc.) and even training centers training and retraining of specialists. NATO is an intergovernmental organization whose members allocate the funds and resources necessary for its daily functioning in accordance with the Treaty: holding meetings, preparing and making decisions, and implementing other tasks within the framework of the common interests of all members of the alliance. The bulk of the military forces and military infrastructure belonging to NATO member states remain under their direct control and national command until such time as there is a need for their allocation in whole (or in part) to solve certain military tasks under a common NATO command. Funding for the training and maintenance of national contingents is carried out at the expense of the budget of the respective states. They also bear all the costs of maintaining their missions to NATO, pay salaries to officers seconded to the headquarters of the alliance. The salaries of civil servants are paid from the NATO budget. All NATO programs are funded jointly by the states that participate in them.

The North Atlantic Treaty was signed on April 4, 1949 in the state of Washington. In March 1948, five Western European countries: the year From July 1966, France withdrew from the NATO military organization, remaining a member of the political structure of the North Atlantic Treaty. In Belgium, Britain, Luxembourg, 2009 returned to all the abandoned Netherlands and France signed the Brussels structure. treaty and created common system Defense 1949 NATO does not have its own armed forces. All countries participating in the NATO military organization, In April, after negotiations with the United States and Canada on the creation of their own forces and equipment, a single North Atlantic Alliance, which was signed together by the Washington Joint Defense Treaty. make up an integrated. It was joined by: Denmark, Iceland, Italy, the military structure of the Alliance. Canada, Norway, Portugal and USA. Iceland is the only NATO member that does not have regular armed forces; this was one of the conditions for the country to join the organization. In Iceland, there is only a coast guard (BOHR). It was also decided to train Icelandic volunteers at bases in Norway to participate in NATO peacekeeping missions.

In 1952 and 1982, there were four more European states: l Greece l Turkey. Now there are already 26 countries in NATO and applications are being considered l Germany of other countries to join this international organization. l Spain March 12, 1999 In 2004, l. Latvia l. Lithuania l. Estonia l Poland l. Slovakia l Hungary l. Slovenia l Czech Republic l. Romania l. Bulgaria

The entire post-war period in the history of the Soviet Union passed under the sign of opposition to the NATO military-political bloc. The international situation is very difficult for modern Russia. Therefore, there is reason to carefully analyze the history and state of the art this union. For Russian Federation it is essential 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 structure of Russia, 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 developed after the end of World War II. The creation of this military-political structure was due to the polarization of the forces and military-industrial potentials of the countries, which were divided into two large groups. Around the victorious Soviet Union in Eastern Europe, a whole belt of countries dependent on it, the so-called "socialist camp", was formed. The countries of Western Europe felt the immediate threat of expansion from the east. This put them in front of the need for military-political integration in order to maintain the established post-war borders and preserve their sovereignty.

This alignment of forces provides an answer to the question of which countries are members of NATO. At the time of its formation, the organization included twelve countries. These were states that did not enter the orbit of Soviet influence. They didn't want 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 of the initially aggressive nature of the organization created in 1949 in Brussels. This explains the need to counter potential expansion from the West.

How it all began

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

NATO member countries have voluntarily assumed a number of international obligations. First of all, these should include bringing the national armed forces of each of the participating States to common standards in armament and equipment and subordinating them to a single command.

In addition, NATO member countries agreed on the volume of the military budget of each state, expressed as a percentage of gross domestic product. The leadership of the alliance announced the fundamental openness of the organization for new members to join it. The most important principle of the existence of the North Atlantic military-political bloc is the obligation, according to which NATO countries regard aggression against each of them as an attack on the entire alliance, with all the military decisions that follow from this provision. Later 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 were simply no people 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 on the world map occupy a fairly significant territory, 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 the 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 regarded the activities of the North Atlantic military bloc as a direct threat 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 go into a "hot" stage. Periods of its exacerbation were several times replaced by a détente. The critical point of the Cold War 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 climax. In subsequent years, intensive work was carried out to reduce international tension. A number of fundamental treaties 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 destroy all life on planet Earth several times.

Arms race

NATO countries opposed the Warsaw Pact states not only in the proposed theater of operations. Of decisive importance in this confrontation were the industrial potentials of the countries included in the military blocs, and the level of production of weapons. It is generally accepted that military spending is very burdensome for the budget and requires 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 the two military-political systems, also had a positive significance. It is expressed in the growth of the industrial potential of the countries participating in the arms race. And the countries that are members of NATO turned out to be the winners in this competitive struggle. 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 the Warsaw Pact countries headed by it.

The armament of the NATO countries is still out of competition in terms of most tactical and technical indicators. Among the indirect consequences of the arms race between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the Soviet Union, one should also include such a phenomenon of the twentieth century as the exploration of outer space. Initially, ballistic missiles were developed to deliver a thermonuclear charge to other continents. But today, space technologies have found the widest application in various fields: from the creation of information communication systems to scientific research in a wide range of areas.

NATO expansion

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 during its existence has gone through as many as six stages, after which the number of countries participating in the treaty increased. History has proven the effectiveness of this military-political bloc. Membership in it for its participants is attractive. In addition to international prestige, it guarantees the security of all parties to the treaty.

Therefore, the map of NATO countries, which includes most of Europe and the two largest states of North America, is not stable. The territory of the countries that are members of the North Atlantic Alliance has a steady tendency to expand on it. 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 structure of the alliance takes place gradually, in several stages. The decision to admit a country to membership in the organization is made by the NATO Council by consensus. That is, any of the member countries of the organization 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 it drags on 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. At the same time, we should not forget about the states that are in the process of integration. This means that new NATO countries may soon appear. In 2014, there are 28 of them. And this figure cannot be considered final.

NATO allies

Not all states aspire to become full members alliance. Some simply do not have sufficient economic and military potential for such membership. For a number of countries, the charter of the alliance provides for a special allied status and partnership programs. These states should not be included in the list when answering the question of which countries are in 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 contribute to maintaining stability in various regions. NATO countries and the states included in the partnership program with them often carry out joint military operations to curb escalating military conflicts.

Geographically, some of the members of the "Partnership for Peace" are far beyond the borders of Europe. For example, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan. But the cooperation of these countries with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization contributes to maintaining peace and stability in remote regions of the Eurasian continent. Many developing states wish 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 Eastern European countries. Not only the Warsaw Pact Organization ceased to exist, but also the Soviet Union that led it. After its collapse, the world entered into new era existence, without a split into opposing military-political blocs.

It would seem obvious that the decision to think about the dissolution of the North Atlantic Alliance, as having successfully completed its historic mission. However, nothing of the sort happened. The NATO bloc, whose countries felt like winners in a protracted cold war, and did not think to dissolve itself. An attempt to bring this issue up for discussion was followed by a quite reasonable answer: why eliminate something that has been invested so much money and effort and that 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 the NATO countries in several stages was replenished with these newly formed states.

Russia and NATO

The Russian Federation, as the historical successor 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 program "Partnership for Peace" our country takes part in the actions of the alliance in peacekeeping operations in Europe and different countries of the world. NATO member countries are forced to reckon with the nuclear status of the Russian Federation.

In the socio-political field of the Russian society, a negative attitude towards the North Atlantic military-political alliance prevails. This is due historical memory several generations of Soviet people, in whose minds the armies of the 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 another in the world comparable in size to it. military force, against which this power is deployed. Therefore, the Russian Federation has reason to distrust statements about the peace-loving nature of the alliance.

The situation is exacerbated by the fact that the new NATO member countries often come out with clearly expressed anti-Russian rhetoric. First of all, we are talking about the countries of the Baltic region - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. And also about the new NATO members from among the Eastern European states, first of all, about Poland. The most important principle foreign policy The Russian Federation of the last two decades is to oppose the expansion of the North Atlantic Alliance in an easterly direction. But special success it was not possible to achieve this - the 2014 map of NATO countries indicates the approach of the territory of the organization to the western borders of Russia. The biggest failure of the foreign policy of the Russian Federation should be considered the ever-increasing Ukrainian crisis that erupted after this country outlined its vector of development in the direction of the European Union with possible integration into NATO structures. It is impossible to predict the further development of these events. But now there is an obvious escalation of tension between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

List of NATO countries and features of the structure of the alliance

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

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 both geographically and by combat arms. The headquarters control the Eastern, Western and Southern sectors of the Atlantic, as well as the Strike Fleet and the Allied Submarine Command.

The armies of the NATO countries are subordinate to a single supranational command. Their charters, equipment and weapons are brought to a single standard. Despite the fact that the basis of the combat power of the countries of the alliance is their thermonuclear potential, very much attention is paid to conventional weapons in NATO countries. And this means that membership in the organization is associated with a fairly significant level of military spending for its members. The military budgets of NATO member states are being coordinated with the leadership of the alliance.

Looking to the future

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

An equally important area of ​​application of efforts for the alliance is countering all forms of terrorist and extremist manifestations. Figuratively speaking, NATO structures are a kind of power frame that ensures the existence of the so-called "common European home."

One often hears the question of whether it is possible for the Russian Federation to integrate into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as a full-fledged member? It is difficult to give a definite answer to this question. With certainty, we can only state that if this happens, it will not be very soon. However, the top leadership of the Russian Federation does not completely rule out such a possibility in the long term. But today, against the background of the aggravated international situation, it is not possible to talk about this.