No, the U.S. is not pursuing world domination through NATO, and neither did it devise the invasion of Ukraine

By: Emmi Kivi
August 3 2023

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Context

A TikTok post claims that the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) is a disguise for the U.S. pursuit of worldwide dominance. Moreover, the U.S. devised the invasion of Ukraine to gain more NATO members to reach this objective and to subside Russia. The video further alleges that NATO intends to curb the national decision-making power of sovereign States.

These evergreen claims have amplified since February 2022 and during the membership bids of Finland and Sweden. Similar claims have circulated on other online and social media platforms. 

In fact

In response to claims of American aggression, President Biden stated, “The United States and the nations of Europe do not seek to control or destroy Russia. The West was not plotting to attack Russia.” The U.S. does not decide when or which new states join NATO; solely aspiring states choose to join NATO. The latest member country, Finland, opted to join NATO following an assessment of its security environment after Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. All NATO decisions are the members’ collective agreements, as consensus is the only basis for decision-making in the alliance.

NATO’s official policy states: “NATO does not seek confrontation and poses no threat to the Russian Federation.” It is a defense alliance whose purpose is to safeguard the freedom and security of its member countries. The alliance welcomes European countries that agree to contribute to security in the Euro-Atlantic region and commit to the responsibilities of membership, following its “open door policy.” After a state has expressed interest in joining NATO, an invitation to join the alliance is based on the consensus of the member countries.

NATO decisions express the collective will of the members of the Alliance. Since its establishment in 1949, NATO has applied the consensus principle. Accordingly, no member country can be compelled to a decision against their will, whether the U.S. or any of the 30 other member countries. Discussion and consultations among member countries precede decisions until an agreement is acceptable to all. 

The claim that the U.S. is involved in outsetting the invasion of Ukraine has no foundation in evidence. The claim echoes evergreen pro-Kremlin disinformation narratives of a U.S. military threat and NATO enlarging in the east has been used to justify the invasion of Ukraine. Logically Facts has previously covered and disproved false and misleading claims about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and American and NATO involvement. 

The verdict 

The U.S. and NATO have denied any intention to attack or threaten Russia, and neither is there any basis for the claim that the U.S. would have outset the invasion of Ukraine. All NATO decisions, including accepting new members, are a collective agreement between all the 31 member countries. It is not the decision of the U.S. The alliance upholds its open-door policy for any European State to enter, but it is a voluntary choice for a state to do so. Therefore, we have marked this claim as false.