During a meeting at the White House with U.S. President Donald Trump, European leaders emphasized that Ukraine must receive security guarantees akin to Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty following the end of its war with Russia, reports 24brussels.
This pivotal principle of NATO, as enshrined in Article 5, states that an armed attack against one or more member countries is regarded as an attack against the entire alliance, writes Sky News. In such cases, each member state is required to take necessary measures, which may include the use of military force, to restore and maintain security in the North Atlantic region.
How does Article 5 work?
Article 5 applies to the territories of member countries in Europe and North America, including Turkey. However, it does not cover military bases outside these regions or territories not belonging to the alliance. For instance, the provisions of Article 5 were not invoked during the Vietnam War, the conflict over the Falkland Islands, or during Iran’s attack on a U.S. base in Qatar.
It is important to note that invoking Article 5 does not guarantee automatic military deployment. Each member state independently determines what type of assistance to provide in a particular situation, ranging from military support to other forms of aid. This approach sparked debates between the U.S. and European nations during NATO’s inception, with Washington reluctant to assume automatic obligations—a discussion that continues to this day.
Has Article 5 ever been invoked?
In NATO’s history, Article 5 has been invoked only once—following the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. At that time, allies supported the U.S., leading to NATO’s military campaign in Afghanistan, where European partners fought alongside American troops and incurred casualties.
President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky stated that the U.S. will be among the countries providing security guarantees to Ukraine and will participate in the coordination of this process. Meanwhile, American leader Donald Trump noted that Washington would be involved and would provide “a lot of assistance.”
