NATO: Historical origins and current membership landscape

NATO was established in 1949 as a response to Soviet aggression during the post-war period, centered on the principles of collective defense and the doctrine that an attack on one member is an attack on all.

While former neutral Scandinavian nations like Sweden and Finland have joined the alliance, several European nations remain outside its framework. Switzerland and Austria maintain neutrality, while others such as Ireland, Malta, and Cyprus are non-members. The alliance includes non-European members the United States and Canada, as well as Iceland, which notably lacks armed forces.

The historical context of the alliance is rooted in the era of the ‘Iron Curtain,’ a term famously used by Winston Churchill to describe the division of Europe following the rise of Soviet influence in Central and Eastern Europe.