European Union leaders have gathered for a summit in Cyprus to discuss the bloc's mutual assistance clause. The discussions come as U.S. President Donald Trump's criticism of traditional allies raises concerns over his commitment to NATO at a time of growing insecurity.
According to the president of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, EU leaders have asked officials to prepare a blueprint for how the previously obscure mutual assistance clause would work. The European Commission will prepare this plan to determine how members will come to each other’s aid in the event of a foreign attack.
This move comes amid doubts over the U.S. commitment to the NATO military alliance, which the U.S. president has questioned over members' response to the war in Iran. Unlike NATO’s Article 5 collective defence pact, the EU’s mutual assistance clause is not backed by detailed operational plans or military structures.