00:01Did you know the EU has its own mutual defense clause?
00:05Your reporter didn't.
00:07But suddenly it is the hottest topic in Europe.
00:10Just days ago, the head of NATO told Europe to keep dreaming
00:14if they think they can defend themselves without the US.
00:18But the EU Commission President fired back.
00:21Independent Europe just means let's develop our strength
00:24without constantly leaning on someone else.
00:26And part of her plan involves a little-known rule, the Article 42.7.
00:33So, what is it?
00:35It says if an EU country is attacked,
00:39other members have an obligation to help.
00:41And on paper, the wording seems to be stronger than NATO's famous Article 5.
00:47It doesn't even require a unanimous vote to activate.
00:50But there is a catch.
00:52The EU is not a military alliance.
00:55And it lacks a unified command structure.
00:58And it leaves it up to each country to decide how to help.
01:02Which does not automatically mean sending troops.
01:05And in fact, it has only been triggered once.
01:08After the 2015 Paris attacks.
01:12Plus, there is a trust gap.
01:13When Eastern European nations look for a true security shield,
01:18they look to NATO, not Brussels.
01:22But with Washington demanding Europe to take over its own conventional defence,
01:27and with growing doubts around the future of NATO, the clock is ticking.
01:31The EU is also wondering what happens if the US closes its nuclear umbrella over Europe.
01:39And building a fully independent European nuclear shield would cost billions of euros and take time.
01:46So Europe has the treaty and the Article.
01:49Now it just must build a military strength to back it up.
01:53Next up.
01:55Few minutes around.
01:56Few minutes around.
01:57Few hours around.
01:58This Massystem mirror is
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