According to the North Atlantic Alliance website, Article 4 of the NATO founding treaty allows member countries to bring a matter to the attention of the North Atlantic Council (NAC, NATO‘s main political decision-making body) and discuss it with allies.

The article states: „The Parties shall consult each other whenever, in the opinion of any of them, the territorial integrity, political independence or security of any of the Parties is threatened.“ Since the Alliance was founded in 1949, Article 4 has been invoked seven times.