The most important actors in NATO are the member states themselves. There are currently 31 member nations:
ALBANIA (2009), BELGIUM (1949), BULGARIA (2004), CANADA (1949), CROATIA (2009), CZECHIA (1999), DENMARK (1949), ESTONIA (2004), FINLAND (2023), FRANCE (1949), GERMANY (1955), GREECE (1952), HUNGARY (1999), ICELAND (1949), ITALY (1949), LATVIA (2004), LITHUANIA (2004), LUXEMBOURG (1949), MONTENEGRO (2017), NETHERLANDS (1949), NORTH MACEDONIA (2020), NORWAY (1949)
NATO membership is open to „any other European State able to promote the principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North Atlantic area.
The purpose of NATO is to use political and military means to guarantee the freedom and security of its members. It is committed to democratic values. NATO allows its members to consult and cooperate on defense and security issues to solve challenges, build trust, and prevent conflict.
NATO is committed to the peaceful resolution of conflicts. However, if diplomatic efforts fail, it has the military means to conduct crisis management operations. These are carried out under the mutual assistance clause of NATO’s founding treaty – Article 5 of the Washington Treaty – or with a mandate from the United Nations, alone or in cooperation with other countries and international organizations.
Members meet daily to discuss and decide on security issues at all levels and in a wide range of areas. Because all decisions are made with the consent of all members, a „NATO decision“ is an expression of the collective will of all 31 members.
To the German translation of this article: Nordatlantikvertrags-Organisation (NATO)