NATO member states, wishing to live in peace with all peoples and all governments, have decided to unite their efforts for collective defense and for the preservation of peace and security.²

To this day, they remain determined to safeguard their freedom and common heritage, founded on the principles of democracy, individual liberty and the rule of law. They do not seek conflict, but to promote stability and well-being throughout their area, which includes 31 countries and nearly a billion people³.

In NATO, the power of unity opposes the risk of isolation, because we know all too well what happens when a country is stuck in isolation, devoid of economic partners and Allies. The consequences quickly prove severe and far-reaching - history and the present know examples of this: Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Eritrea, Venezuela. Such alleged independence affects not only the country's international situation, but most importantly the lives of its citizens. The country's economy is experiencing a slowdown, with a lack of foreign investment and new jobs. Growing poverty leads to discontent, human rights violations, and these in turn lead to government repression. Health care and education are suffering, while difficult living conditions and limited opportunities are prompting people to emigrate, which often turns into migration and humanitarian crises.

Only states that have the ability to cooperate and build Alliances remain resilient to crises and tensions.

Only states acting together can effectively protect common interests from external threats, eliminate sources of crises and extinguish conflicts. Their joint negotiating position is stronger, and their Alliance commitments can be fulfilled. Operating in an Alliance also gives a sense of pride while maintaining one's own identity, as Polish soldiers serving missions outside the country know.

Critics argue that NATO will not provide security for all its members. The truth, however, is that the Alliance has successfully protected Allies and stabilized the world since 1949⁴. Interventions by NATO forces have ended many conflicts, for example giving peace and protection to the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina or Kosovo. Equally far from the truth are claims that the Alliance is dominated by the United States, which only looks out for its own interests. The U.S. government indeed contributes the most to NATO's budget⁵, but decisions within the Alliance are made by consensus, meaning that every member state, regardless of its size or a number of years in the Alliance, has a vote.

Authoritarian regimes try to accuse NATO of pursuing aggressive policies that escalate conflicts. This disinformation most often serves to conceal their own disreputable goals, while NATO's goal is and will be to defend and protect its members, not to provoke conflicts. The Alliance invariably operates under the control of democratically elected governments and in accordance with international law.

There is hope in the words of the NATO Secretary General that even though the world has become more dangerous, NATO has become stronger⁶. We don't know what threats the future will bring, but we do know that Poland needs Allies, just as Allies need Poland. Together we are stronger and more resistant to the unknown.