EU leaders have agreed to draw up a plan on how to use the bloc’s mutual assistance pact in the event of a foreign attack, as Donald Trump intensifies his criticism of Nato. The decision was announced by Nikos Christodoulides, president of Cyprus, who is hosting the talks.
The mutual defence clause, article 42.7 of the EU treaty, obliges member states to provide “aid and assistance by all the means in their power” if a fellow country is attacked. The European Commission will prepare a blueprint for its activation, addressing questions such as which countries would respond first and what needs would arise.
Interest in the clause has been rekindled amid reports that the US is exploring suspending Spain from Nato. Trump, a long-term critic of the alliance, has stepped up his rhetoric, calling it “very disappointing” and considering withdrawal. This has pushed Nato into what some describe as the worst crisis in its history.
Pedro Sánchez, Spain’s prime minister, reaffirmed Spain’s loyalty to Nato while criticising “the failure of brute force in the Middle East”. European Council President António Costa noted a “test case” in Cyprus, where a drone strike on a British base prompted several EU members to mobilise military equipment and forces.
France is the only country to have triggered article 42.7, after the 2015 Paris attacks. Some EU members are cautious about steps that could undermine Nato’s collective defence clause, article 5. An EU official stressed that Nato remains the bedrock of collective defence, but the EU has complementary tools such as sanctions and humanitarian aid.
Poland’s prime minister, Donald Tusk, expressed doubts about Washington’s commitment to Nato, questioning whether the US would be “ready to be as loyal as it is described in our treaties”. Meanwhile, Sánchez played down reports of a Pentagon memo on suspending Nato allies.
