Article 4 of the NATO

About Article 4 of the NATO:

• If the missile’s origins are Russian, this is the first time since the start of the conflict in Ukraine in late February that Russian weaponry has impacted a NATO country.

What is The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO)?

• It came into being after World War II as a counter to the Soviet Union’s possible expansion attempts in Europe. Then-US President Harry S Truman signed the 12-member treaty on April 4, 1949.
• After the collapse of USSR in 1991, several eastern European nations previously members of the Soviet Union joined NATO. As of now, NATO comprise 30 members.

Differences between Articles 4 and 5 of the NATO

• Under Article 4, any member state can convene a meeting of NATO members to “consult” when it feels its independence or security are threatened. It sends a strong political symbol to the greater world that NATO is concerned about a particular situation.
• Article 5 is known as the “one-for-all and all-for-one” article. It states that an “armed attack” against one member is an attack against all and sets in motion the possibility of collective self-defense.
• In theory, Articles 4 and 5 can only be invoked at the request of a NATO member. However, Article 5 has only been invoked once — immediately following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks against the United States.
• Article 5 was not invoked when Russia invaded Ukraine, because Ukraine is not a NATO member. But Poland is a NATO member, so if an investigation found any evidence it was a deliberate attack, it could have invoked Article 5.

Source : Indian Express

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