NATO marks 75 years amid US Presidential elections

US elections could shape the American role in the alliance

WASHINGTON: With the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) commemorating 75 years on April 4, the accessions of Sweden and Finland mark the most significant additions to the Alliance in decades, as US Presidential elections this fall offer a sharp contrast in terms of the American role in NATO.

NATO’s expansion to now include 32 members is seen by many as a blow for Russian President Vladimir Putin, who has sought to prevent any further strengthening of the alliance.

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According to analysts, NATO has its own challenges, including the transformation of NATO forces to refocus on defending against any Russian attack, after decades in which NATO concentrated on missions beyond its borders, such as in Afghanistan and the Balkans. NATO will also have to manage differences over how involved it should become in Asia, with the United States pushing for a greater role in countering China, while others such as France insist NATO must maintain focus on the North Atlantic area.

The accession of Sweden, which has not been at war since 1814, and Finland is the most significant expansion of the alliance since it took in members from eastern Europe after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.

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The alliance, which dates back to April 4, 1949, began when the foreign ministers from 12 countries signed the North Atlantic Treaty (also known as the Washington Treaty) at the Departmental Auditorium in Washington, DC.

NATO’s founding member countries were Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States.