Additional NATO forces are heading to eastern europe. Foreign recently nato
hopes to reinforce its eastern flank amid rising tensions with russia. a
statement published yesterday by NATO.
NATO allies are putting forces on standby and sending additional ships and
fighter jets to nato deployments in eastern europe. Reinforcing allied
deterrence and defense as russia continues its military buildup in and
around ukraine.
Denmark is sending a frigate to the baltic sea and is set to deploy four
F-16 fighter jets to lithuania in support of NATO's long-standing air
policing mission in the region.
The statement added that spanish ships will accompany nato naval forces and
france has expressed its readiness to send troops to romania under nato
command.
In addition the netherlands will send two F-35s to bulgaria to support
nato's air policing activities in the region and will also put ship and
land-based units on standby for nato's response force.
In a reference to earlier reports, that the Joe Biden administration is
reviewing options to reinforce nNATO's eastern flank, the statement
highlighted that the united states is considering increasing its military
presence in the eastern part of the alliance.
NATO Secretary General Jen Stoltenberg added that NATO will continue to take
all necessary measures to protect and defend all allies, including by
reinforcing the eastern part of the alliance.
Jen Stoltenberg said, "we will always respond to any deterioration of our
security environment including through strengthening our collective
defense."
A 2016 rand corporation report concluded that russia's western military
district, one of the country's five major military formations is capable of
steamrolling nato forces on the alliance's eastern flank.
The report warned that the western military district could reach the
outskirts of tallinn auriga, the capitals of Estonia and Latvia respectively
in under 60 hours and this could present NATO with a disastrous fate
accompli in the opening days of a potential conflict.
The defense department announced this week that 8,500 united states troops
have been put on high alert for a potential deployment in eastern europe.
Pentagon spokesman John Kirby added that most of the 8,500 troops would take
part in a nato response force that could soon be activated, with the rest
being allocated to a specific u.s response.
It's very clear the russians have no intention right now of de-escalating,
John Kirby told reporters on monday, "what this is about though is
reassurance to our nato allies?"
