Why in the News?
- NATO clarified its earlier statement regarding the status of four missing U.S. soldiers in Lithuania, emphasising that "the search is ongoing."
- Initial confusion arose when NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte suggested that the soldiers had died. Still, later, NATO stated that Rutte was referring to unverified news reports rather than confirming their fate.
- The soldiers were part of the S. Army’s 1st Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, conducting training exercises near Pabradė, Lithuania, close to the Belarus border.
- Their armored vehicle was found submerged in water, and recovery efforts are underway.
Geopolitical Context
- Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are NATO members with tense relations with Russia and Belarus.
- Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (2022) has further strained regional security dynamics, increasing military exercises and NATO presence in the Baltic region.
- Belarus, a close ally of Russia, shares borders with Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland, making NATO operations in these areas strategically significant.
About NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization)
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Aspect
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Details
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Founded
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1949, with the signing of the North Atlantic Treaty (Washington Treaty) to counter Soviet expansion in post-World War II Europe.
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Headquarters
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Brussels, Belgium
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Nature
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Military & political alliance of 32 countries from Europe & North America.
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Core Principle
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Collective Defense (Article 5): An attack on one NATO country is considered an attack on all. Invoked only once after the 9/11 attacks (2001).
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Founding Members (12)
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Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, UK, USA.
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Latest Expansion
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Sweden joined NATO in 2024.
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Ukraine's NATO Bid
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Applied in 2022, received security assurances at Vilnius Summit (2023).
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Non-NATO EU Members
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Austria, Cyprus, Ireland, and Malta.
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