What is NATO, and what is its role in the Russia-Ukraine crisis?

4 yıl önce

Russia is once again threatening to invade Ukraine. Alongside diplomatic efforts to stop that from happening, members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization â or NATO â have been sending troops to surrounding nations, as well as weapons and other reinforcements to bolster Ukraine.

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Ukraine is not a member of NATO, the military alliance of mainly western countries united by a mutual defense treaty. But post-Cold War tension between the West and Russia over NATO is at the heart of the current crisis. The Ukrainian government would like to join other nations that were once part of or allied with the former Soviet Union in an expanded NATO. Russia has demanded that NATO stop expanding eastward and never admit Kyiv.

In a news conference Friday, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin repeatedly reminded Russia that Article 5 of the NATO treaty obligated the United States and allies to come to the aid of its eastern European members in the event of Russia attacking any of them.

âOur focus is not on fighting in Ukraine,â he said. âItâs on reassuring our NATO partners and allies.â

Here is some essential background about NATO and Article 5, which has only been invoked once, after the attack on the U.S. on Sept. 11, 2001.

Military trainers, missiles and over 200,000 pounds of lethal aid: What NATO members have sent Ukraine so far