NATO's Article 5 is a cornerstone of the North Atlantic Treaty, which forms the basis of the NATO alliance. It stipulates that an attack against one of the member states is considered an attack against all members. This defense principle obliges each member state to assist the attacked party by taking action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force.
Kahl suggested that Russian authorities may attempt to undermine Western nations’ commitment to upholding this principle, according to dpa.
"We very much hope this is not true and that we will not be put in the difficult position of it being tested. However, we must assume that Russia wants to test us, to put the unity of the West to the test," he stated.He also noted that Russia's timing of such a "test" depends on the course of the war in Ukraine. If the war ends before 2029 or 2030, Russia could reallocate its technical, material, and human resources to pose a threat to Europe sooner than expected, he warned.
"An early end to the war in Ukraine would enable the Russians to direct their energy where they actually want it, namely against Europe," Kahl said.The German intelligence chief added that Russia envisions a future world order resembling Europe in the late 1990s, where NATO’s defensive presence is pushed back, and Russia’s sphere of influence expands westward—ideally without a US presence in Europe.
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