Poland has activated Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization after intercepting Russian drones that breached its airspace on Wednesday. The incident occurred following Russia’s significant aerial assault on Ukraine, marking the first instance of a NATO member firing shots since the conflict commenced.
Article 4, a lesser-known provision compared to Article 5 of the NATO treaty, requires member states to hold consultations when the territorial integrity or security of any party is perceived to be under threat. Essentially, this enables Poland to engage with other NATO allies for discussions.
In response to the drone incursion and subsequent interceptions by Polish and Dutch fighter jets, NATO allies swiftly convened talks at the organization’s headquarters. These consultations, conducted within the framework of a routine ambassadorial meeting, were facilitated under the auspices of Article 4.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk emphasized that invoking Article 4 aimed to enhance coordination and understanding among NATO members regarding external threats. The provision serves as a mechanism to address urgent security issues within the North Atlantic Council.
While this is not the first time Poland has utilized Article 4 in recent history, it previously did so at the onset of Russia’s conflict with Ukraine. The consultations under Article 4 do not automatically trigger actions under Article 5, which is reserved for collective defense responses to armed attacks.
Notably, Article 5 has been invoked only once, following the 9/11 attacks in the United States, bypassing Article 4 directly. Therefore, while Article 4 can be activated independently of Article 5, the two provisions remain interrelated within the NATO treaty framework.