The Implications of Russian Federation Membership in NATO
Abstract
Due to the recent creation of the new NATO-Russia Council on May 28, 2002, driven by the alliance in the war against terrorism% spurred by the September 11, 2001 attacks, it is necessary to explore the implications of possible Russian membership in NATO. Although the creation of this new institution (that replaces the NATO-Russia Permanent Joint Council that was established in 1997) does not indicate the immediate entry or pursuit of a "Membership Action Plan" by Russia into NATO, it does signal the end of nearly a half-century of confrontation between NATO and Russia. It also symbolizes the entrance of a new era of security cooperation, post-Cold War but also post-September 11. After briefly examining the origins of NATO and its past enlargements as well as past NATO-Russian relations, the critical geostrategic, political, organizational, regional, and military implications are analyzed. The questions that determine these essential implications are: a) Will US/Russian power dominate the alliance? b) Will U.S. and Russia dictate policy to the other great powers in the alliance, such as Great Britain, France, and Germany? (Would this blow NATO apart and eliminate the strategic balance in Europe?) c) What are possible reactions from China? d) How are the former Soviet republics in Central Asia, Ukraine, and the Baltic states affected?
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA404622
Entities
People
- Robert Andrew
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School