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The North Atlantic Treaty Organization's policies (NATO) allow enlarging the alliance with the aim of increasing both worldwide security and stability. Russia's Ukraine invasion now causes Sweden and Finland to consider membership in NATO.
While some believe NATO membership only confers benefit and advantages, others note membership potentially comes at some cost to joining nations.
Benefits cited include increased security and defense, increased dialogue and collaboration, and helping foster worldwide democracy.
Costs cited include increased tensions with non-allied nations, undue US influence in political affairs due to US funding supremacy, and increased likelihood of involvement in conflict.
Increased Security and Defense. NATO consists of 30 allied countries spanning North America and Europe. NATO adopts as a foundational principle 'collective defense' and NATO considers an attack against one ally as an attack against all allies ('Article 5'). NATO does not sponsor its own army. Instead, each country controls its own armed forces and contributes to four multinational battlegroups in countries bordering Russia and Belarus. These battlegroups, which soon may expand to eight, demonstrate the ability and determination to defend allies' peoples and borders.
Increased Dialogue and Collaboration. NATO members participate in the North Atlantic Council that aims to promote member dialogue and cooperation and provide a peaceful forum for dispute resolution. All Council actions, including for example, admitting new members, are based on unanimous consent.
Fostering Democracy. Member nations must satisfy various criteria including having a functioning political system based on democracy and a market economy. Some experts argue this criterion helps spread and encourage democracy as it becomes a more dominant and accepted philosophy. Others disagree.
Increased Tension with Non-allies. Putin repeatedly warns Russia will resist NATO expansion and Russia recently characterized NATO as a tool geared towards confrontation. Additionally, Putin now indicates there could no longer be a nuclear-free Baltic region if Finland and Sweden join NATO.
Undue US Influence. NATO members must spend a minimum of 2 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on defense, however, few members reach that target. Alternatively, the US spends more than double the amount on defense as all other allies and US expenditures account for approximately 2/3 of NATO's defense expenditures. Critics argue this makes allies overly reliant on the US for defense, which consequently confers undue US influence in internal political affairs
Increased Likelihood of Conflict. Critics argue NATO's collective defense principle means some members may somewhat unwillingly be drawn into conflict. For example, Article 5 was invoked by NATO for the first time in history after the US September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Additionally, some experts believe the likelihood of any ally or member being involved in a conflict commensurately increases as the number of members increases.
