NATO, or the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is an intergovernmental military alliance established on April 4, 1949. It consists of member countries from North America and Europe committed to mutual defense against aggression. The core principle of NATO is collective defense, outlined in Article 5 of the NATO treaty, which states that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all members, requiring them to respond collectively. NATO aims to ensure the security and stability of its members through political and military collaboration, crisis management, and cooperative security efforts. The organization has expanded over the years, adapting to changing global security challenges, and currently includes 31 countries.
Belgium is significantly increasing its defense budget under Prime Minister Bart De Wever and Defense Minister Theo Francken. The country aims to meet NATO's 2% GDP defense spending target by…