The Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, said that Article 5 is not being considered following the missile incident over Turkey, where the alliance’s air defense systems shot down a ballistic missile in Turkish airspace.
Rutte described the incident as “serious”, but emphasized that “no one is talking about Article 5.”
Article 5 of NATO’s founding treaty states that an armed attack against one member is considered an attack against all, obliging allies to take the actions they deem necessary to assist the attacked member.
The incident marked the first time Turkey has been directly involved in the escalating conflict in the Middle East, raising concerns about the possibility of a broader regional escalation that could involve NATO allies.
Rutte also added that NATO supported the United States in targeting Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities, stating that Iran was “close to becoming a threat to Europe as well.”
However, authorities in Tehran denied launching the missile toward Turkey.
