NATO is considering plans to send more soldiers to Eastern European countries. NATO defense ministers, led by U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, are set to discuss potential changes regarding this matter today, Wednesday. Poland has requested the establishment of an "Atlantic peace mission" that would receive "protection from armed forces" to assist Ukraine. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg stated that the 30-nation military alliance is on the verge of radically changing its security posture in Europe in response to the Russian war in Ukraine.
Stoltenberg noted that the Russian military operation in Ukraine, along with its military integration with Belarus, "creates a new security reality on the European continent." He added, "We need to recalibrate our military posture to adapt to this new reality." He continued by saying, "Operationally, this could involve a higher number of forces in the eastern part of the alliance, on a higher readiness status, with more pre-positioned equipment."
In recent years, NATO has deployed a relatively small force of about 5,000 soldiers in the Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania—and Poland on a rotational basis to deter Russian military actions. Stoltenberg highlighted that he expects ministers to instruct NATO military leaders to come up with options to enhance security in Eastern Europe, from which alliance leaders will select during their summit scheduled for June. Reaffirming the U.S. position against the Russian war in Ukraine, the American defense secretary emphasized his country's commitment to defending NATO territories.
