EU Commissioner Kubilus: an RF strike on defense factories in Europe would trigger a NATO response — the Alliance disagrees

EU Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius stated that a direct Russian strike on defense factories on European territory would fall under Article 5 of NATO’s collective defense clause and would trigger a military response.

This was reported by Politico.

Kubilius’s aide clarified that the statement refers specifically to a direct strike by Russia, not to acts of sabotage. Sabotage at arms factories in the European Union has increased recently; however, according to the commissioner’s spokesperson, that scenario is not covered by his statement.

Kubilius’s position did not receive unanimous support within NATO. A number of Alliance representatives criticized it.

“When Kubilius becomes NATO Secretary General, he may be able to determine what does and does not trigger Article 5,” said one diplomat from an Alliance member state.

The day before, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated that “arms factories in European countries producing weapons for Ukraine are potential military targets for Russia.”

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had previously stated that Article 5 is deliberately worded ambiguously — so that the Alliance’s adversaries would not know exactly when it would be invoked.