The North Atlantic Council, NATO’s highest decision-making body, held a meeting on Thursday under article 4 of the Alliance, which is activated when one of the member countries feels threatened.
The step was taken after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in the early hours of Thursday.
“Today we have held consultations under Article 4 of the Washington Treaty. We have decided, consistent with our defensive planning to protect all Allies, to take additional steps to further strengthen deterrence and defense across the Alliance. Our measures are and will continue to be preventative, proportionate and non-escalatory,” the North Atlantic Council said in a statement.
Article 4 of the Washington Treaty, the document that established NATO, indicates that the members of the Alliance will consult each other when, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of them is threatened.
The governments of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia had already announced their intention to request the activation of Article 4.
The allies said in the statement that Russia’s actions pose a “serious threat” to Euro-Atlantic security and “will have geostrategic consequences.”
“NATO will continue to take all necessary measures to guarantee the security and defense of all allies. We are deploying additional defensive ground and air forces in the eastern part of the Alliance, as well as additional maritime assets,” they noted.
They added that they have increased the readiness of their forces “to respond to all contingencies.”
“We call on Russia to immediately cease its military action and withdraw all its forces from and around Ukraine, fully respect international humanitarian law and allow safe and free humanitarian access and assistance to all people in need,” they stressed. .
The North Atlantic Council “condemned in the strongest possible terms Russia’s horrific attack on Ukraine, which is totally unjustified and unprovoked.”
Likewise, he urged Russia “in the strongest terms” to “depart from the path of violence and aggression that it has chosen.”
“Russia’s leaders must bear full responsibility for the consequences of their actions. Russia will pay a very high economic and political price. NATO will continue to coordinate closely with relevant stakeholders and other international organizations, including the European Union,” he asserted.
He specified that his thoughts are with the deceased and wounded, and with “the population of Ukraine.”
They also condemned Belarus for allowing the attack, since some of the troops have entered Ukraine from that country.
He stated that the “renewed attack” is “a serious violation of International Law” and constitutes “an act of aggression against an independent and peaceful country.”
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NATO highlighted its support for the Ukrainian population and its “legitimately and democratically elected” president, parliament and government, as well as for the country’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.
He also reiterated his condemnation of the Russian decision to recognize the independence of the separatist regions of Donetsk and Lugansk and warned that the allies “will never accept this illegal recognition.”
He recalled that during the current crisis, NATO, its members and partners “have made every effort to pursue diplomacy and dialogue with Russia” and stated that it has been “Russia and only Russia that has chosen to escalate.”
The allies stressed that their commitment to NATO article 5 is “unquestionable”, according to which an attack against one country of the Alliance is equivalent to an attack against all of them, for which it is mandatory to respond. However, that principle does not apply to Ukraine, which is not part of NATO. (I)
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Source: Eluniverso
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