After the launch of Russian missiles on Polish territory, NATO will examine the opportunity for a response as foreseen by article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty signed in 1949. The reaction to the attack is not automatic, even if it is legitimized.
In fact, the article reads that «the parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America will be considered as a direct attack against all the parties, and consequently agree that if such an attack occurs, each of them, in exercising the right of self-defense, individual or collective, recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, shall assist the party or parties thus attacked by undertaking immediately, individually and jointly with the other parties, the such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain security in the North Atlantic region”.
In other words, the armed response is one of the options envisaged. Whose responsibility is it to evaluate NATO’s response? To the Security Council of member countries: «Any armed attack of this kind and all measures taken as a result thereof», article 5 continues, «shall be immediately brought to the attention of the Security Council. These measures will end when the Security Council has taken the measures necessary to restore and maintain international peace and security.”
Article four of the Treaty also speaks clearly: “The parties shall consult each other whenever, in the opinion of one of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of one of the parties is threatened”.
Last March, the American president Joe Biden reiterated to his Polish counterpart Andrzej Duda, referring to article 5 of the Treaty, that it constitutes a “sacred bond”. Poland has been a NATO member since 1999.