NATO’s core commitment to collective defense may not hold in practice, warned former U.S. diplomat Cameron Munter during a public debate at Anglo-American University this week. “Article 5 is not actually legally enforceable. If I lived in Estonia and the Russians invaded, I would be seriously concerned that the Americans would not come,” Munter said.
According to iDnes.cz, Munter, who served as U.S. ambassador to Serbia and Pakistan under both Republican and Democratic administrations, said NATO remains an alliance of ideals rather than enforceable commitments. Activation of Article 5—NATO’s clause that requires collective defense in the event of an attack—must be approved unanimously by the NATO Council, which could prove problematic in a real crisis, he said.
Munter also expressed concern about the weakening of U.S. leadership within the alliance. Referring to the Trump administration’s rollback of international programs, including the dismantling of USAID, he warned that if the U.S. stops funding NATO initiatives, European allies may struggle to fill the gap. “There are no capacities in Europe that could replace it,” he said. Läs artikel