From partners to adversaries: The volatile three-decade history of Russia and NATO relations

Wars & Conflicts · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Once envisioned as a foundation for a stable, inclusive Europe, the relationship between Russia and NATO has collapsed into open hostility. From joint peacekeeping missions in the 1990s to the current era of hybrid warfare, this evolution reveals how security guarantees, territorial expansion, and shifting geopolitical trust shaped modern history.

Following the Soviet Union's dissolution in 1991, Russia and NATO initially pursued deep cooperation. By 1994, Russia joined the Partnership for Peace program, and in 1997, the two sides signed the NATO-Russia Founding Act. This agreement established the Permanent Joint Council, a forum for consultation, and explicitly stated that neither side viewed the other as an adversary. During this period, Russian troops even participated in the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina, marking the first joint military operation between the two since World War II.

Tensions began to mount as NATO expanded eastward, incorporating former Soviet republics like Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania in 2004. While Russian President Vladimir Putin initially stated in 2005 that he respected the sovereign right of nations to choose their defense policies, his stance hardened significantly. By his 2007 Munich speech, Putin openly condemned NATO enlargement as a provocation. This friction was exacerbated by the 2001–2002 U.S. withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, which Russia interpreted as an exploitation of its post-Cold War weakness, and disagreements over missile defense systems in Poland and Romania.

The relationship deteriorated sharply following the 2008 Russo-Georgian War and the 2014 annexation of Crimea. NATO responded by suspending cooperation and deploying tripwire forces to the Baltic states and Poland. By 2021, Russia demanded a withdrawal of NATO forces from Eastern Europe, a request the alliance rejected. Following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, NATO officially designated Russia a direct threat to Euro-Atlantic security. Today, the relationship is characterized by hybrid warfare, including cyberattacks, sabotage, and disinformation, marking a profound breakdown of the post-Cold War security architecture.

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