Policies
NATO Membership
Citation Formats
General Reference
APA Style
BibTeX
NATO membership is the question of which states belong to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, a military alliance of thirty-two European and North American countries built on a system of collective defense. Joining is governed by Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty, which permits the alliance to invite other European states able to further its principles and contribute to North Atlantic security. A government's position on NATO membership covers both its own participation and its stance on the alliance's enlargement to other states.
Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
Supports
German: "a central contribution to NATO's deterrence and defense capability." The 2025 Wahlprogramm treats NATO's 2%-of-GDP defense-spending target as a floor, not a ceiling, and commits to expanding the Bundeswehr.
Conservative Party Manifesto 2024, Defence chapter: committed to raising UK defence spending to NATO's 2.5%-of-GDP standard by 2030 and to campaigning for every NATO ally to meet the same baseline.
2024 party platform frames NATO strengthening and Ukraine support as a core Biden-Harris record and commitment.
Conditional
Recommits to NATO membership while publicly doubting continued US reliability within it, pressing instead for European strategic autonomy.
2024 party platform frames continued NATO membership around allied burden-sharing rather than unconditional support.
Support for NATO conditioned on all allies meeting the new 5% of GDP defence spending target agreed at this summit.
Sources
Enlargement of NATO (Wikipedia)
WikipediaLead sectionQuote, Lead section
a military alliance of thirty-two European and North American countries that constitutes a system of collective defense
The Hague Summit Declaration (NATO)
North Atlantic Treaty OrganizationPosition Held By: Trump Administration, Paragraph 2, The Hague, 25 June 2025Quote, Position Held By: Trump Administration, Paragraph 2, The Hague, 25 June 2025
Allies commit to invest 5% of GDP annually on core defence requirements as well as defence-and security-related spending by 2035
The Hague Summit Declaration (NATO)
North Atlantic Treaty OrganizationPosition Held By: Starmer Government, Paragraph 2, The Hague, 25 June 2025Quote, Position Held By: Starmer Government, Paragraph 2, The Hague, 25 June 2025
Allies commit to invest 5% of GDP annually on core defence requirements as well as defence-and security-related spending by 2035
Remarks by President Biden on the United Efforts of the Free World to Support the People of Ukraine (Biden White House Archives)
The White House (Biden Administration archive)Position Held By: Biden Administration, Warsaw, Poland, 26 March 2022Quote, Position Held By: Biden Administration, Warsaw, Poland, 26 March 2022
We will defend every single inch of NATO territory with the full force of our collective power.
Prime Minister's Defence Speech in Warsaw: 23 April 2024 (GOV.UK)
Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing StreetPosition Held By: Sunak Government, Warsaw, Poland, 23 April 2024Quote, Position Held By: Sunak Government, Warsaw, Poland, 23 April 2024
We will increase defence spending to a new baseline of 2.5% of GDP by 2030 - a plan that delivers an additional £75 billion for defence by the end of the decade and secures our place as by far the largest defence power in Europe.
First Government Statement by Chancellor Merz, 14 May 2025 (Bundesregierung)
The Federal Government of Germany (Die Bundesregierung)Position Held By: Merz Government, First government statement to the Bundestag, 14 May 2025Quote, Position Held By: Merz Government, First government statement to the Bundestag, 14 May 2025
The Federal Government will also provide the Bundeswehr with the financial means to become the strongest conventional army in Europe.
Zeitenwende: Policy Statement by Chancellor Olaf Scholz, 27 February 2022 (Bundesregierung)
The Federal Government of Germany (Die Bundesregierung)Position Held By: Scholz Government, Policy statement to the Bundestag, 27 February 2022Quote, Position Held By: Scholz Government, Policy statement to the Bundestag, 27 February 2022
We will now, year after year, invest more than two percent of our gross domestic product in our defence.
Clear Plan. Bold Action. Secure Future.: The Conservative and Unionist Party Manifesto 2024 (Conservatives.com)
The Conservative and Unionist PartyPosition Held By: Conservative Party (United Kingdom), Defence chapter, "Clear Plan. Bold Action. Secure Future." (2024 manifesto)Quote, Position Held By: Conservative Party (United Kingdom), Defence chapter, "Clear Plan. Bold Action. Secure Future." (2024 manifesto)
It will protect our security, cement our UK leadership in NATO and create more jobs in the UK.
Trump's NATO, Ukraine stance stirs Europe defense debate (CBS News)
CBS NewsPosition Held By: Macron Presidency, Macron address to French military personnel, 20 January 2025, reported same dayQuote, Position Held By: Macron Presidency, Macron address to French military personnel, 20 January 2025, reported same day
What will we do in Europe tomorrow if our American ally withdraws its warships from the Mediterranean?
2024 Republican Party Platform (The American Presidency Project)
Republican National Committee, reproduced by The American Presidency ProjectPosition Held By: Republican Party (United States), Chapter Ten, "Return to Peace Through Strength," Plank 3, "Strengthen Alliances"Quote, Position Held By: Republican Party (United States), Chapter Ten, "Return to Peace Through Strength," Plank 3, "Strengthen Alliances"
ensuring that our Allies must meet their obligations to invest in our Common Defense and by restoring Peace to Europe.
2024 Democratic Party Platform (The American Presidency Project, UCSB)
Democratic National Committee, reproduced by The American Presidency ProjectPosition Held By: Democratic Party (United States), Chapter Nine, "Strengthening American Leadership Worldwide," preambleQuote, Position Held By: Democratic Party (United States), Chapter Nine, "Strengthening American Leadership Worldwide," preamble
We're strengthening NATO and restoring American leadership in the world.
Bundestagswahl 2025: Wahlprogramme zu Verteidigung und NATO (Ohne Ruestung Leben)
Ohne Ruestung Leben, quoting the CDU/CSU 2025 Bundestagswahl Wahlprogramm (adopted 17 December 2024)Position Held By: Christian Democratic Union of Germany, CDU/CSU 2025 Wahlprogramm (adopted 17 December 2024), defense section, as quoted by Ohne Ruestung LebenQuote, Position Held By: Christian Democratic Union of Germany, CDU/CSU 2025 Wahlprogramm (adopted 17 December 2024), defense section, as quoted by Ohne Ruestung Leben
einen zentralen Beitrag zur Abschreckungs- und Verteidigungsfaehigkeit der NATO
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
Choose a year to see this entry's facts and connections as the atlas records them at that moment: what it held then, what it held instead, and what it had not yet adopted. Choose Present for the current record.