Russia – NATO Uneasy Ties: Transformation, Cooperation to NATO Accession

Russian Federation re-emerged on the global map in December 1991. It was one of the Soviet Republics since the communist party took over in 1922, and after about two decades, it became one of the two superpowers. The Soviet communist ideology was a deterrent to the United States-- the capitalist superpower. The US established a collective security organization for Western European countries called NATO to contain the expansion of communism. The fall of communism and the disintegration of the Soviet Union ended the cold war; however, the Alliance was not dissolved. Since the last decade of the twentieth century, Russia and NATO have transformed and sought ways to cooperate. However, the accession policy of NATO became a threat to Russia. The article contributes to understanding deep-rooted issues between Russia and NATO. It examines their transformation and cooperation phases. It deals with the post-cold war accession policy of NATO and Russian concerns over it. The paper analysis various forums of their cooperation and inquiries why NATO's membership was not extended to Russia. It further delves into the significance of Ukraine for Russia. Diverse research methodologies are adopted in this research work.