New Delhi: An explosion on the territory of NATO member Poland killed two people on Tuesday (November 15, 2022) amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, while the US and its allies said they were investigating the explosion that allegedly Apparently caused by Russian missiles. The explosion at a grain drying facility in Prezvodo, about 6 miles from the border with war-torn Ukraine, could now invoke NATO’s principle of collective defense known as Article 5, which allows an attack against one of the treaty’s 30 members. . Treated as an attack against all allies. NATO may invoke Article 5 if it is determined that Moscow was to blame for the blast. However, as a possible prelude to such a decision, Poland has first requested a NATO meeting on Wednesday under Article 4 of the alliance.
What is Article 4 of NATO?
Under Article 4 of NATO’s founding treaty, member states may bring an issue to the attention of the North Atlantic Council (the Council or NAC – NATO’s principal political decision-making body) and discuss it with the Allies. Any member country can formally invoke Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty and as soon as it is invoked, the issue is discussed and potentially some form of joint decision or action on the part of the alliance. can lead.
Article 4 of NATO states: “Whenever, in the opinion of either of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of either party is threatened, the parties shall consult together.”
As per the latest reports, Poland has requested a NATO meeting under Article 4 for consultations.
How many times has NATO used Article 4?
Since the creation of NATO in 1949, Article 4 has been invoked seven times.
The most recent one was on February 24, 2022, when its members – Bulgaria, Czechia, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Slovakia – requested consultations under Article 4 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Turkey also made the same request on 26 July 2015 in view of the seriousness of the situation following the terrorist attacks.
Poland also invoked Article 4 on 3 March 2014 following rising tensions in Ukraine that resulted in Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
What is Article 5 of NATO?
Article 5 of NATO provides that if its ally is the victim of an armed attack, each other member of the alliance shall regard this act of violence as an armed attack against all members and shall take necessary action to assist the attacked ally. . ,
“The parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be deemed an attack against all of them and consequently agree that, if such armed attack occurs, Each of them, in the exercise of the right recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations for individual or collective self-defense, individually and in conjunction with other parties, including the use of such action immediately, individually and with the other parties together shall assist the attacking party or parties, armed forces, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic region,” Article 5 explains.
“Any such armed attack and all measures taken as a result thereof shall be immediately reported to the Security Council. Such measures shall be terminated when the Security Council has taken the necessary measures to restore and maintain international peace and security.” Huh,” Article 5 says.
If and when Article 5 is invoked, NATO allies may provide any assistance they deem necessary to respond to a situation. However, this is an individual obligation on each Associate and each Associate is responsible for determining what it considers necessary in particular circumstances.
Has NATO invoked Article 5 before?
Article 5 of NATO has been activated once before – by the United States, in response to the attacks of September 11, 2001.