The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed in 1949 as a counterweight to the Soviet Union and its East European allies. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, NATO has absorbed a number of former Warsaw Pact countries and has grown to 28 member states.
The latest addition took place on Wednesday, when U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg accepted Albania's and Croatia's instruments of accession to NATO for which the United States is the depositary government.
The agenda of the summit, held in Strasbourg, France and Kehl, Germany, will focus on NATO's mission in Afghanistan, relations with Russia, combating terrorism and sea piracy, and energy security.
NATO's outgoing secretary general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, is expected to deliver a report on a draft document outlining the alliance's "strategic concept for the 21st century."
Relations with Moscow, which have deteriorated to levels not seen since the Cold War after Russia's retaliation over Georgia's attack on South Ossetia in August last year, will be a key discussion issue during the summit.
NATO called Russia's military response to Georgia's attack on South Ossetia "disproportionate" and condemned Moscow's decision in late August to recognize South Ossetia and Abkhazia as independent states.
In response to NATO's decision to halt cooperation in September, Russia put on hold a number of programs, including the Partnership for Peace program, a high-ranking visit to Moscow, some joint naval training and NATO visits to Russian ports. However Russia continued its work with NATO on arms control, cooperation in airspace, and the war in Afghanistan.
After a meeting with foreign ministers from NATO member states on March 5, Secretary General de Hoop Scheffer announced the alliance's decision to restart cooperation with Russia.
