Shaken trust within the European Union over US commitment to NATO, along with statements by US President Donald Trump about taking control of Greenland, have triggered discussions in the EU about its own mutual defense obligations, Euractiv reports.

According to the outlet, EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius is calling for clearer interpretation of Article 42.7 of the Treaty on European Union, which outlines mutual assistance commitments. Members of the European Parliament have also urged clarification of the scope and practical application of the clause.

Euractiv notes that after remarks by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz at the Munich Security Conference in February, the debate gained political weight. Article 42.7 is described as comparable to NATO’s Article 5, though some experts consider it broader in scope. Unlike NATO’s clause, which requires an armed attack, Article 42.7 could theoretically be invoked in cases such as a maritime blockade.

Former European Parliament Secretary-General Klaus Welle, who held the post for 14 years, said the situation surrounding Greenland has altered perceptions of NATO’s Article 5 and US reliability as a security guarantor. He emphasized that the EU has its own solidarity clause, which has not yet been fully operationalized.

At the same time, Welle acknowledged uncertainty over how the EU would respond if Article 42.7 were formally activated. The clause has been invoked only once — by France after the 2015 Paris terrorist attacks. At that time, EU member states mainly provided logistical support, while Belgium and Germany shared intelligence and cooperated on policing and counterterrorism efforts. In 2020, Greece also considered invoking the mutual defense clause amid tensions with Turkey in the eastern Mediterranean, but Ankara’s NATO membership complicated the issue, Euractiv notes.