What if NATO members go to war against each other? - JFV Groningen (2024)

FAQs

What happens if two NATO members go to war? ›

Members agree that if one of them is attacked, the others should help it defend itself. Nato does not have an army of its own, but member countries can take collective military action in response to crises. They also coordinate military plans and carry out joint military exercises.

3500 soldiers were involved. The 11 September attacks in the United States, a NATO member, invoked Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty. It remains the only time since NATO's inception that an attack from an external party or state has been deemed an attack on all NATO members.

"Israel is not a NATO member, so no action, such as triggering Article 5, was required," wrote Zelenskyy, referring to the NATO provision on collective defense that regards an attack on one as an attack on all. "No one was dragged into the war. They simply contributed to the protection of human life."

The total number of troops and personnel in the armed forces of all NATO nations is around 3.5 million. The alliance has expanded the deployment of its NATO Response Force in Eastern Europe.

An attack one of NATO's member countries is an attack on all of them. Article 5 is the most important part of the North Atlantic Treaty, the treaty on which NATO is based. If one NATO member country is attacked, all members will provide it with military support.

Essentially, then, this means "By signing this treaty we agree not to start a fight with other NATO members". If you attacked another NATO member, you would be breaking this article and would therefore be in breach of the treaty.

NATO's Strategic Concept states that Russia is the most significant and direct threat to Allies' security and to peace and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area. Russia wants to establish spheres of influence and control other countries through coercion, subversion, aggression and annexation.

France withdrew from the NATO Unified Military Command in 1968 due to disagreements with the United States and Great Britain over Nuclear Weapons Contol, but remained part of the Policy making North Atlantic Council, and still observed NATO military standards. France rejoined the Unified Military Command in 1993.

In the aftermath of the Second World War, Turkey made the historic choice of siding with the free world and the Western Bloc. This policy was led Turkey to become member of NATO on 18 February 1952. Since then, NATO has been the cornerstone of Turkey's defense and security policy.

Since the 1960s, the United States has been a strong supporter of Israel. It has played a key role in the promotion of good relations between Israel and its neighbouring Arab states—notably Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt—while holding off hostility from countries such as Syria and Iran.

Are countries allowed to leave NATO? ›

The formal process is stated in article 13 of the Treaty. This says that any country that wants to leave must send the United States (as the depositary state) a "notice of denunciation", which the U.S. would then pass on to the other Allies. After a one-year waiting period, the country that wants to leave would be out.

Military relations between Israel and the United States have been extremely close, reflecting shared security interests in the Middle East. Israel is designated as a major non-NATO ally by the U.S. government.

The collective military capabilities of the 32 countries that make up NATO outnumber Russia in terms of aircraft, at 22,308 to 4,814, and in naval power, with 2,258 military ships, to 781. Russia's ground combat vehicle capacity is more competitive, however, with 14,777 main battle tanks, to NATO's 11,390.

While recent wars have sparked speculation about an ensuing global conflict, military scholars say comparisons to past world wars are largely overblown. Members of Ukraine's 10th Mountain Brigade unload artillery shells at their frontline position on March 2, 2023, in the Donetsk Region of eastern Ukraine.

"The secretary general projects that in 2024, 18 allies will spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense — a major improvement over 2014, when only three hit that target. Any ally not spending at least 2% of GDP on defense this year should have plans to swiftly meet that target."

No. It's a defensive pact and Article 5 statea that when one NATO nation is attacked, the rest must come to its aid. There is nothing in there about coming to a NATO nation's aid when they have started a war.

All NATO decisions are made by consensus, after discussion and consultation among member countries. Consultation between member states is therefore at the heart of NATO, since Allies are able to exchange views and information, and discuss issues prior to reaching agreement and taking action.

While public support for NATO membership has risen in Ukraine since 2014, the prospect continues to face opposition from Russia, which sees Ukraine's potential NATO accession as a security threat.