How The Armies of NATO Compare to Russia & Ukraine

Key takeaways

• Russia has 1.5M active military personnel as of July 2024, making it the biggest force among this sample 
• The U.S. accounts for 63% of NATO’s total active military personnel

Will Ukraine join NATO? 

With the Trump administration seemingly prepared to withdraw from NATO, Europe’s security could be at risk. 

As a result, many are calling for Ukraine’s entry into NATO to be expedited. With 880,000 active military personnel, Ukraine would provide a significant boost to NATO’s strength in Europe.

Timeline: Ukraine & NATO

• 2008: NATO allies originally agreed at the 2008 Bucharest Summit that Ukraine could become a member
• 2017: Ukraine adopted legislation reinstating membership in NATO as a strategic foreign and security policy objective
• 2020: Zelenskyy approved Ukraine’s new National Security Strategy, which lays a path for membership in NATO
• 2024: Allies reaffirmed Ukraine’s future in NATO, though it must remain independent in the face of Russia’s invasion according to former NATO boss Jens Stoltenberg