NATO Response Force (NRF) is planned to be increased to more than 300 000 troops, announced NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg on Monday, 27 June.
Stoltenberg provides that the NATO summit that will be taking place in Madrid this week will bring notable changes.
«We will enhance our forward defence. We will enhance our battle groups along the alliance’s eastern parts to a brigade level. We will overhaul NATO Response Force and will increase our forces on high alert to well above 300 000,» Stoltenberg announced.
NRF currently consists of approximately 40 000 troops.
Stoltenberg announced NATO plans to deploy more heavy arms along its eastern flank, including anti-air defence systems.
This will be the biggest change to NATO’s collective defence since the Cold War, Stoltenberg announced.
He did not reveal more information about expansion of the NRF and where these forces could be deployed.
Stoltenberg announced NATO leaders will decide at the summit in Madrid to increase support for Ukraine, whose president Volodymyr Zelenskyy will address participants of the summit.
It is planned to supply Ukraine with military equipment like secure communication equipment, anti-drone systems and fuel, as well as help Ukraine transition to using NATO-standard arms.
This assistance will add to the support NATO already provides to Ukraine.
Under US management members of the alliance already supply Ukraine with anti-tank missiles, artillery and anti-air defence systems.
NATO Strategic Communications Centre of Excellence director Jānis Sārts previously said Baltic States are in need of bigger reinforcements from other countries, but the «situation is not dramatic».
He also said the point of deploying more NATO forces is deterring Russia from attacking.
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