Russia's attack on Ukraine has put a focus on the North Atlantic alliance. Here's what you need to know about NATO.
Leaders of NATO member nations pose for a family photo at NATO Headquarters in Brussels on March 24. Here's a quick overview of the alliance, the role that the United States plays within it, and what it's doing to help Ukraine amid Russia's invasion.NATO is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. It's a military and political alliance that was founded in 1949 in response to the actions of the Soviet Union.
There were 12 founding members of the alliance in 1949: Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the U.S. Ukraine has not entered NATO — essentially because of Russia's opposition to it, and the conflict that its admission would cause.key principle of collective defenseAnd if such an armed attack does occur, each member will take the actions it deems necessary to assist the ally attacked,"to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area." What assistance is provided is determined by the individual country, in concert with the other allies.
Townsend likens NATO's role as hosting a potluck for member nations, and asking each to bring something in particular to the picnic. Otherwise"everyone would just bring potato chips, because that's the cheapest thing."There was a time in the 1990s when it was thought that Russia might potentially join NATO at some point, says Townsend, as countries like the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland were preparing to enter the alliance.
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