Which among the following countries is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was established in 1949 as a collective defense alliance [2]. While Hungary, Poland, and Turkey are all current members, Belarus is not. Turkey joined NATO in 1952 during the first round of enlargement [1]. Poland and Hungary, formerly members of the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact [2], joined NATO in 1999 as part of the alliance's eastward expansion following the end of the Cold War. In contrast, Belarus remains a close ally of Russia and is part of NATO's 'Partnership for Peace' program rather than being a full member [3]. Belarus is often cited as an undemocratic state in the region that has not pursued the path of NATO integration taken by its neighbors [3]. As of 2024, NATO has expanded to 32 members, including recent additions like Finland and Sweden.

Sources

1. [2] History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 15: The World after World War II > Warsaw Treaty Organisation > p. 248
2. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlargement_of_NATO
3. [3] https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/nato-looks-expand-mission-and-membership