NATO military commanders are working on plans to deploy a large, permanent military force capable of confronting an invasion army on its eastern border.
In light of what NATO Secretary-General Jan Stoltenberg called a "new normal" for European countries and their security, a long-term adaptation of the intergovernmental military alliance is being considered.
Stoltenberg told the Sunday Telegraph that NATO was “in the midst of a very fundamental transformation” that will reflect “the long-term consequences” of Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions in Ukraine, to battle future Russian aggression.
"What we see now is a new reality, a new normal for European security. Therefore, we have now asked our military commanders to provide options for what we call a reset, a longer-term adaptation of NATO," the paper cited Stoltenberg as saying.
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He explained that, regardless of when or how the war in Ukraine ends, the war has already had long-term consequences for our security, and said that in light of this, NATO needs to adapt to that new reality. "And that’s exactly what we are doing," Stoltenberg said.
Weapons, weapons, weapons
Stoltenberg stressed that the military alliance needed to make sure that it continues to be capable of protecting and defending all its allies in a more dangerous world, he said, adding that this effort should be accompanied by an increase in member States’ national defence spending.
Earlier this week, Stoltenberg announced that members of the alliance had agreed to more support for Ukraine following Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba's plea at a NATO meeting that the country needed more military weapons.
"My agenda is very simple it has only three items on it: Weapons, weapons and weapons. The best way to help Ukraine now is to provide it with all that is necessary to contain Putin and to defeat the Russian army in Ukraine," he said during a press conference.
“Allies have been doing a lot, and are determined to do more, now, and for the medium and longer-term to help the brave Ukrainians defend their homes and their country, and push back the invading forces,” Stoltenberg said.
