NATO welcomes Von der Leyen’s European ‘Article 4’: “It is a step forward”

NATO has “welcomed” the proposal by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, to create an instrument similar to the Alliance’s ‘Article 4’ with which to coordinate the European Union’s response to hybrid attacks, arguing that it represents “a step forward” in support of shared security.

“We welcome our European allies and partners stepping forward to do more in support of our shared security,” a NATO spokesperson told Europa Press when asked about the organization’s opinion of Von der Leyen’s proposal and whether it could involve a duplication of efforts already underway in the Alliance.

These same sources have also indicated that, “as was stressed again” at the NATO summit in Ankara (Turkey) last July, the organization is “the cornerstone” of collective defense, including that of the European Union countries that are also part of the Alliance.

“We will continue to work closely with the European Union in achieving our common agenda, including boosting defense industrial production and ensuring continued support for Ukraine,” the organization led by Mark Rutte concluded.

A SIMILE OF NATO ARTICLE 4, BUT EUROPEAN

The NATO statements come hours after Von der Leyen proposed in his speech at the Debate on the State of the Union (SOTEU) before the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg (France) the creation of a kind of European ‘Article 4’ of NATO that would allow EU Member States to coordinate a joint response to hybrid attacks that threaten their security.

“Europe needs its own response manual against hybrid threats. We urgently need a consensus on how to respond to certain incidents. Those that fall below the threshold of armed aggression but clearly threaten our national security. In other words, a mechanism that complements NATO’s ‘Article 4’,” he noted.

The German conservative has pointed out that, when a Member State activates this European ‘Article 4′, the Twenty-Seven would meet to coordinate a joint response, deter further escalation and mitigate the impact of the incident.

He has also proposed “going even further” and shaping a “European Security Council” that brings together European leaders with partners such as the United Kingdom, Canada, Norway or Ukraine, although without the United States, to jointly address threats to the continent’s security.

“For a long time we have discussed a leaders’ format focused on the security of our continent. With partners such as Canada, Norway, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and others involved. This is even more urgent now, given the nature and scale of the risks at stake. That is why we will present our ideas to make a European Security Council a reality,” he stated.