NATO fast Reaction Force — a bogey or a real force? [ANALYSIS]

The NATO summit in Madrid yet ended NATO's illusory partnership with the Russian Federation. The relation between NATO and the Russian Federation was established in 1991 as part of the North Atlantic Cooperation Council (NACC). The Council provided a forum for NATO consultations with partners in the European theatre of action. In addition, Russia joined the Partnership for Peace programme announced at the NATO summit in Brussels. It was 1994 and it seemed that the Alliance's cooperation with the Federation was real. However, NATO's engagement in the Balkan conflict caused the first animosities. Russia considered combat operations carried out by Alliance forces in Serbia as a violation of its sphere of influence and suspended cooperation with NATO.