NATO-Russia tensions

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Dec 1991: Breakup of Soviet Union and end of Cold War

1992: Russian President Boris Yeltsin seeks closer ties with West, but views NATO as failing to support Russian interests

1994: NATO’s Partnership for Peace programme includes joint training exercises between NATO, Eastern European countries and former Soviet states.

U.S. President Bill Clinton leaves door open for eventual Russian membership of NATO

Dec: Russia goes to war in Chechnya. Yeltsin government declares ceasefire with Chechen rebels in 1996

1995: NATO launches first military operation – airstrikes against Bosnian Serbs. Yeltsin condemns NATO action against Kremlin ally

1997: NATO and Russia sign Founding Act – agreeing that Russia and NATO are not adversaries

Aug 1999: Vladimir Putin becomes Prime Minister – by end of month Russia is waging war on Chechen rebels

Dec: Yeltsin resigns – Putin takes over, then wins presidency in Mar 2000

Apr 2008: NATO declares that Ukraine and Georgia “will become members” of alliance one day

May: Dmitry Medvedev becomes president, Putin becomes prime minister

Aug: Russian forces invade Georgia and seize 20% of its territory. Moscow interprets muted 
response from West as opportunity for further acts of aggression

2009-11: Administration of Barack Obama launches Russia Reset which results in New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and U.S. support for Russia’s membership of World Trade Organization

2012: Putin returns as president

2014: Annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea. NATO- Russia relations plunge

2015: Russian intervention in Syria spreads Kremlin influence in Middle East

Feb 24, 2022: Russia invades Ukraine. Putin justifies war saying it is to prevent NATO expanding further east

May 17: Finland’s parliament signs off on plan to join NATO alongside Sweden, marking historic shift in security policy
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NATO membership
Founders (1949)
1950-1990
1990-2000
2000-present
Russian control before invasion
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Canada
U.S.
Iceland

Norwegian Sea
Ireland
ATLANTIC OCEAN
Portugal
Spain
Norway
Sweden
Baltic Sea
Poland 
Czech Rep.
Bosnia
Montenegro
North Macedonia
Austria
Hungary
Serbia
Croatia
Black Sea
Turkey
Italy
Mediterranean Sea
Kosovo 
Albania
Libya
North Sea
Estonia 
Latvia
Belarus
UKRAINE
Slovakia 
Moldova
Netherlands 
Denmark
RUSSIA
UK
Belgium 
France
Lithuania 
Kaliningrad (Russia)
Germany 
Lux.
Switz.
Romania 
Bulgaria
Greece
Slovenia
Crimea
Georgia
Finland
Annexed in 2014

500km 300 miles

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Sources: Bloomberg, NATO, RAND Corporation, Stratfor, The Atlantic
Picture: Getty Images
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