More stable troops in the east? Stoltenberg did not rule out Slovakia – World – News either
The North Atlantic Alliance is considering a more permanent military presence on its eastern wing and in south-eastern Europe in response to the proximity of Russian troops to the border with Ukraine.
He announced this to Alliance Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg after Monday’s meeting with Polish President Andrzej Dudom. The information from the meeting was obtained by TASR from the report of the press agency AP, which states that this could also apply to Slovakia.
“If Russia really wants less NATO at its borders, it will have the exact opposite,” Stoltenberg said.
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He did not give any details and noted that the final decision had not yet been made. However, the AP recalls that NATO could build on a long-term military presence in the Baltic states in Poland, where there are now about 5,000 troops, deployed by similar forces in Slovakia, Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania. It would therefore be a matter of strengthening NATO’s military capabilities near Ukraine’s western borders and in the Black Sea region.
The Polish president, after meeting with Stoltenberg, according to the PAP agency, said that the situation required a strengthening of the Alliance’s military presence on its eastern wing.
Duda also discussed tensions with Ukraine and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels, who then wrote on Twitter that she was talking about “coordinating preparedness” to strengthen Russia’s military presence on the border with Ukraine. This coordination concerns, inter alia, “energy supply and sanctions in response to possible further escalation”.
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350 German soldiers to Lithuania
Germany will send another 350 troops to Lithuania to strengthen the eastern wing of the North Atlantic Alliance. She told German Defense Minister Christine Lambrecht. There are currently about 500 German soldiers in the NATO force in Lithuania. Lambrecht explained that another 350 soldiers will join them “in the coming days”.
According to her, Germany wanted to strengthen “its contribution to NATO’s eastern wing” to send a clear signal of its “determination” to the Allies in the Alliance, or to tell them that they “can rely on” Germany. The second largest contingent of German troops (after Mali) will operate in Lithuania, according to AFP.
The deployment of more German troops was described by Lithuanian Defense Minister Arvydas Anušauskas as an “important sign of attention” for the Baltic region.
Adequate response
“If (Russian President Vladimir) Putin thought the Alliance would share the ultimatum, then this decision (Germany) shows that NATO remains an organization based on solidarity,” he said. “This is an adequate response to Russia’s behavior on its borders with Ukraine and Belarus. We did not record such an army during the entire post-Soviet period, “he added.
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The Lithuanian army also announced on Monday that it had increased its preparedness ahead of the upcoming military exercises in Belarus, which were also attended by Russian soldiers. Lithuanian Defense Forces chief Valdemaras Rupshys told AFP that Vilnius had taken such a step so that it could react appropriately if there was a “change” in the situation or if it was exposed to a threat.
Lithuanian officials warn that thousands of Russian soldiers who are to take part in military exercises in neighboring Belarus could remain in the country even after the end of maneuvers.
Germany has recently been criticized for its decision not to supply Ukraine with weapons – despite repeated requests from it. The subsequent announcement that it will supply 5,000 military helmets instead has also earned considerable ridicule, AFP recalls.