25.06.2025 18:11
In the statement released regarding the NATO Leaders Summit, special emphasis was placed on Article 5, to which U.S. President Trump gave a vague response by saying, "There are many definitions of Article 5. I am committed to being a friend." According to the summit statement, the leaders of 32 countries reiterated their commitment to NATO's Article 5, which pledges collective defense.
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Today, within the framework of the NATO Heads of State and Government Summit held in The Hague, the final communiqué was approved and published by the heads of state and government of the allied countries participating in the North Atlantic Council meeting. The communiqué included striking statements.
EMPHASIS ON "COMMITMENT TO ARTICLE 5" IN NATO COMMUNIQUÉ One of the most important points was the emphasis on "Article 5." The communiqué highlighted that an agreement was reached on the proposal for a 5% defense spending. It stated, "As heads of state and government of the North Atlantic Alliance, we gathered in The Hague to reaffirm our commitment to NATO, the strongest alliance in history. We reiterate our commitment to the principle stated in Article 5 of the Washington Treaty, which states that 'an attack on one ally is considered an attack on all allies.' We are united and unwavering in our determination to protect one billion citizens, defend the alliance, and secure our freedom and democracy."
"ALLIES RECONFIRMED THEIR COMMITMENT TO JOINT DEFENSE" The declaration also included the following statements: "Allies see deep security issues, particularly the long-term threat posed by Russia and the persistent threat of terrorism. Allies agreed to rapidly expand transatlantic defense industrial cooperation. Allies reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to joint defense.
"SPENDING STATUS TO BE REVIEWED IN 2029" NATO allies reaffirmed their permanent sovereign commitments to support Ukraine. Progress and spending status under the plan will be reviewed in 2029.
2026 NATO SUMMIT IN TURKEY The summit declaration also announced that the 2026 NATO Summit will be held in Turkey."
NOTABLE STATEMENTS FROM RUTTE NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated, "With our investment plan in The Hague, we are increasing our defense spending to 5% of our GDP. In the past, this was 2%. I want to say that all members will work in this direction. Our goal is to strengthen the army. We are aware of the challenges we face together. We came together to respond to this. We have a strong determination for a significant defense budget. We said we all want to be secure from the western shore of the Mediterranean to our eastern shore, and we have taken steps in this direction. The U.S. is determined regarding NATO. It will continue to be a NATO member. The U.S. wants Canada and NATO members to contribute more to the defense budget," he stated.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte "WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT UKRAINE'S NATO MEMBERSHIP" Rutte continued, "Ukraine is our friend. We are continuing our support for Ukraine with a budget donation of 35 billion euros. We will work in solidarity with Ukraine. We will continue to support Ukraine's NATO membership. We aim for Putin not to attack Ukraine again. Our goal is to enable Ukraine to defend itself. Our aim is to strengthen military spending by sending money. Article 5 is very clear. We will not go into details because we do not want to make our enemies smarter."
TRUMP SAID, "I AM COMMITTED TO BEING A FRIEND" U.S. President Donald Trump, while on his way to The Hague on Air Force One, responded to a question about whether the U.S. is committed to Article 5, saying, "It depends on your definition. There are many definitions of Article 5. Isn't that right? I am committed to being a friend. I am committed to saving lives, to life and security. I will give you a definitive definition when I get there. I just don't want to do it on the back of a plane."
WHAT IS NATO ARTICLE 5? Article 5 of NATO is the most important article that forms the basis of the North Atlantic Treaty and defines the principle of collective defense of the Alliance. According to this article, an armed attack against a NATO member country is considered an attack against all members.
In the event of such an attack, each member country commits to take any action it deems necessary to assist the attacked ally. These actions can range widely, including the use of armed forces. However, each member country has the flexibility to decide what assistance it will provide; that is, there is no obligation for automatic military intervention, but this is also presented as an option.
This assistance occurs within the framework of the right to individual or collective self-defense recognized in Article 51 of the United Nations (UN) Charter.
WHY IS ARTICLE 5 IMPORTANT? The article forms the basis of NATO's deterrence capacity. It aims to deter potential aggressors by conveying the message that an attack on one member will provoke a response from the entire Alliance. It also reinforces strong solidarity and a common security understanding among member countries.
NATO has stated that by adapting to the changing security environment, it can also consider cyber attacks as a threat that could fall under Article 5 if they reach a certain level of severity.
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