What is a major goal of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)?

The major goal of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is to ensure mutual defense among member countries. Established in 1949, NATO was primarily created as a collective defense mechanism to protect its members from external aggression, particularly during the Cold War period when the threat from the Soviet Union was prevalent. This principle of collective defense is enshrined in Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which states that an armed attack against one or more member states is considered an attack against all. This framework promotes stability and security, as it discourages potential aggressors from attacking NATO countries due to the obligation that all member nations would respond to such an attack.

While regulating international trade, overseeing diplomatic relations, and organizing humanitarian aid are important functions for various international organizations, they do not align with NATO's central mission. NATO's focus is explicitly on military cooperation and defense, which distinguishes it from other entities that may have overlapping but distinct goals in international relations.