Article 4 of NATO

Why in the News?

After reports of a missile strike in Poland, there had been speculation the Polish government might invoke Article 4 of the NATO treaty.

Key Points:

What is the provision of Article 4 of NATO?

• Article 4 of the treaty mandates that the member nations consult each other when faced with a threat.

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation

• It is a military alliance that came into existence through the North Atlantic Treaty (also called the Washington Treaty) in 1949.
• Purpose: To guarantee the freedom and security of its members through political and military means.
• Headquarters: Brussels, Belgium.
• It aimed to provide collective security against the Soviet Union. Members of NATO are committed to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party. 
  • The principle of collective defense is enshrined in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty
• Strength: 29 (As of 2019)
• It was the US’s first peacetime military alliance outside the western hemisphere.

News Source: The Indian Express