Saturday, December 18, 2021
Threat from Russia
NATO general wants more troops in Eastern Europe
In 2017, NATO reacted to the annexation of Crimea by Russia by increasing its troops in the Baltic States and Poland. In view of the Russian deployment on the border with Ukraine, there are evidently plans within the alliance to station more soldiers in south-eastern Europe as well.
In view of Russia’s troop deployment near the border with Ukraine, according to a magazine report, there are plans in NATO to reinforce its own troops in Eastern Europe. The European NATO commander in chief Tod Wolters suggested to the member states at a video conference to expand the NATO presence in Romania and Bulgaria via the mission “Enhanced Forward Presence” (EFP), as in the Baltic States and Poland, reported the “Spiegel” .
According to this, NATO should also build up EFP contingents of a good 1,500 people in Southeastern Europe. Citing diplomats, the magazine also reported that the subject would probably come up at the next meeting of defense ministers. A spokeswoman for NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg merely stated that NATO would remain vigilant and would take all necessary steps to protect the alliance’s partners from any threat.
Meanwhile, Russia sent conciliatory signals to the US. “I think we haven’t reached the lowest point, thank God,” said Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, according to the Interfax news agency. “There is progress at least in some respects, and not all is hopeless.” Moscow needs stable and predictable relations with Washington.
Russian troop movements on the border with Ukraine have raised concerns in the West. US President Joe Biden has warned his Russian colleague Vladimir Putin of a military escalation in the Ukraine crisis. The government in Moscow denies invasion plans. She calls for an assurance from the West to give up military activities in Ukraine and Eastern Europe and to refrain from expanding NATO. NATO must withdraw its troops to the 1997 positions.
NATO strengthened its forces in the Baltic States and Poland in 2017 after Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine and Russian-backed separatists in eastern Ukraine broke away from the Kiev government in an armed conflict. The new German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht is expected to visit Lithuania on Sunday.