NATO is a military-political alliance whose main purpose is to guarantee the protection of its citizens and to promote the security and stability of the North Atlantic area. NATO must be able to simultaneously deal with current and future challenges and various sources of threats. The Alliance continues to strengthen its deterrence and defence policies in light of today’s changing security environment.

Today NATO faces threats and challenges that can come from state and non-state actors, in the form of terrorist or cyber attacks, or hybrid warfare. More specifically, Russia’s aggressive actions undermine Euro-Atlantic security and the rules-based international order.

NATO’s greatest responsibility is to protect and defend Allied territory and populations against attack. Article 5 of the Washington Treaty emphasizes the principle of collective defense.  Collective defence is at the heart of the Alliance, as set out in Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty.

As for deterrence, it is a core element of NATO’s overall strategy: preventing conflict and war, protecting Allies, maintaining freedom of decision and action, and upholding the principles and values it stands for – individual liberty, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Free societies and the rules-based international order need to be backed by credible transatlantic defence.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that collective resilience is an integral part of NATO’s deterrence and defence policy. NATO is taking strong measures to stop the spread of the virus and reduce the risks to its personnel. Allied armed forces play an important role in supporting the national civil response across the Alliance while maintaining full readiness to respond to any contingency.

NATO’s deterrence and defense policy is based on an appropriate mix of nuclear, conventional and missile defence capabilities. At the same time, NATO maintains the freedom of action and flexibility to respond accordingly to a range of challenges.