The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is a western military alliance of 26 countries from North America and Europe, committed to fulfilling the goals of the North Atlantic Treaty signed on April 4th, 1949.
In accordance with the Treaty, the fundamental role of NATO is to safeguard the freedom and security of its member countries by political and military means. NATO safeguards the Allies' common values of democracy, individual liberty, the rule of law and the peaceful resolution of disputes, and promotes these values throughout the Euro-Atlantic area.