Russia-NATO Relations
International Relations
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
Understanding major geopolitical fault lines, their impact on global stability, energy security, arms control, and the complex balancing act required in India's foreign policy in a multipolar world.
Relations between Russia and NATO have been characterized by periods of cooperation and confrontation, particularly intensifying after the dissolution of the Soviet Union and NATO's eastward expansion, leading to current geopolitical tensions and a renewed focus on military deterrence.
Facts & tables
- Post-Cold War Dynamics
- Deterioration after initial cooperation, driven by NATO expansion.
- Key Flashpoints
- Ukraine conflict, Georgia conflict, Baltic states security.
- Russia's Stance
- Views NATO expansion as a direct threat to its security.
- NATO's Stance
- Views Russia's actions (e.g., Ukraine) as aggression, necessitating collective defence.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | International Relations |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| North Atlantic Treaty Organization | Party to relations |
| Russian Federation | Party to relations |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
Prelims angle: Factual recall
- Central to European security.
- Tensions escalated post-Cold War.
- NATO expansion a key Russian concern.
- Ukraine conflict a major flashpoint.
- Impacts global geopolitical stability.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2025 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2025 | Factual recall, Conceptual understanding |
| 2024 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding |
| 2023 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2022 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2017 | Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions |
Timeline
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International Relations
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2017
Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2022
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2023
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2024
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
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Prelims 2025
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
-
Prelims 2025
Factual recall, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2026
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
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Russia denounces NATO summit decisions on aid for Ukraine, defence
Russia-NATO relations are a critical geopolitical issue marked by deep mistrust, stemming from NATO's post-Cold War expansion and Russia's perceived security threats, culminating in conflicts like the one in Ukraine.
See also
Past papers
2017–2026 · 8 questions
In the news
Russia denounces NATO summit decisions on aid for Ukraine, defence
Russia-NATO relations are a critical geopolitical issue marked by deep mistrust, stemming from NATO's post-Cold War expansion and Russia's perceived security threats, culminating in conflicts like the one in Ukraine.
Try these PYQs
Consider the following pairs :
Country | Reason for being in the news|
|- | -|
|1. Argentina | Worst economic crisis|
|2. Sudan | War between the country's regular army and paramilitary forces|
|3. Turkey | Rescinded its membership of NATO|
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
* Argentina - Worst economic crisis: Correct. Argentina has been facing a severe economic crisis for a while, marked by high inflation, debt, and poverty. * Sudan - War between the country's regular army and paramilitary forces: Correct. Sudan has been engulfed in a violent conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. * Turkey - Rescinded its membership of NATO: Incorrect. Turkey has not rescinded its membership of NATO. While there have been tensions between Turkey and other NATO members, it remains a member. _Therefore, only two out of the three pairs are correctly matched._
Consider the following statements with regard to BRICS:
I. 16th BRICS Summit was held under the Chairship of Russia in Kazan.
II. Indonesia has become a full member of BRICS.
III. The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit was Strengthening Multiculturalism for Just Global Development and Security.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
✅ Statement I: Correct
*The 16th BRICS Summit was held in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024 under Russia’s chairship. Russia held the rotating presidency in 2024, and the summit took place from October 22-24 in Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan.* ✅ Statement II: Correct
*Indonesia became a full member of BRICS in January 2025, becoming the first Southeast Asian nation and the 10th member of the bloc.* ❌ Statement III: Incorrect
*The theme of the 16th BRICS Summit is "Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security." The statement used "Multiculturalism" instead of "Multilateralism," making it incorrect for this question.* Therefore, only statements I and II are correct.
India is one of the founding members of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multimodal transportation corridor, which will connect
The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a multimodal transport network aimed at boosting trade between India, Central Asia, Russia, and Europe, using a combination of sea, rail, and road routes via Iran. The corridor connects Mumbai → Bandar Abbas (Iran) → Azerbaijan → Russia → Europe, with access to Central Asia.
Consider the following statements :
Statement-I: Recently, the United States of America (USA) and the European Union (EU) have launched the 'Trade and Technology Council'
Statement-II: The USA and the EU claim that through this they are trying to begin technological progress and physical productivity under their control.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statement?
* Statement 1 is correct: Trade and Technology Council was launched by the the United States of America and the European Union during the EU-US Summit on 15 June 2021 in Brussels. * Statement 2 is incorrect: Trade and Technology council, the USA and EU does not aim to bring technological progress and physical productivity under their control. Rather the initiative intends to promote pooling of digital resources such as AI models and computing power, and make them available to partner countries to address challenges in areas such as climate change and extreme weather, healthcare or smart agriculture.
Which of the following countries are members of the European Union ?
1. Belarus
2. Poland
3. Germany
4. Switzerland
Select the answer using the code given below :
Statement 1 is Incorrect: Belarus is an Eastern European country that is not a member of the European Union. It maintains close political and economic ties with Russia and has never formally applied for EU membership. Statement 2 is Correct: Poland is a full member state of the European Union. It joined the bloc during the major eastward expansion in May 2004. Statement 3 is Correct: Germany is a full member state of the European Union. It is one of the original six founding members of the EU's predecessor, the European Economic Community, established in 1957. Statement 4 is Incorrect: Switzerland is not an EU member state. Although it is geographically surrounded by the EU and participates in the EU's single market and the Schengen Area through a series of bilateral treaties, it maintains its historic neutrality. It is a member of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) instead. Therefore, the correct answer is 2 and 3.
Show 3 more PYQs
Consider the following statements:
Statement-I :Israel has established diplomatic relations with some Arab States.
Statement-II :The 'Arab Peace Initiative' Mediated by Saudi Arabia was signed by Israel and Arab League.
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
* Statement I is correct: Several Arab states, including Egypt, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan, have established diplomatic relations with Israel. * Statement II is incorrect: The Arab Peace Initiative, mediated by Saudi Arabia, was endorsed by the Arab League but not signed by Israel. It outlines a path towards peace in exchange for Israeli concessions, but Israel has not formally accepted all its terms.
With reference to the “United Nations Credentials Committee”, consider the following statements:
1. It is a committee set up by the UN Security Council and works under its supervision.
2. It traditionally meets in March, June and September every year.
3. It assesses the credentials of all UN members before submitting a report to the General Assembly for approval.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. The United Nations Credentials Committee is a committee of the United Nations General Assembly. Statement 2 is incorrect. A Credentials Committee is appointed at the beginning of each regular session of the General Assembly. It consists of nine members, who are appointed by the General Assembly on the proposal of the President. Statement 3 is correct. The Committee reports to the Assembly on the credentials of representatives. The Committee is mandated to examine the credentials of representatives of Member States and to report to the General Assembly thereon (Rule 28 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly). The credentials of representatives and the names of members of the delegation of each Member State are submitted to the Secretary-General and are issued either by the Head of the State or Government or by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Rule 27 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly).
Consider the following statements:
1. The Nuclear Security Summits are periodically held under the aegis of the United Nations.
2. The International Panel on Fissile Materials is an organ of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. The Nuclear Security Summits were not held under the UN. They were a series of international conferences initiated by the United States in 2010, outside of any formal international organisation. The summits brought together world leaders to discuss ways to secure nuclear materials and prevent nuclear proliferation. However, the summits haven't been held since 2016. Statement 2 is incorrect. The International Panel on Fissile Materials (IPFM) is an independent group of arms control and non-proliferation experts. It's not an organ of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). While the IAEA might collaborate with the IPFM on some issues, it's a separate entity.