“I’m confident that within two weeks at the summit, we will agree a force model. Not only model but also that Allies are ready to provide the necessary forces to fill that model with content, with strength, with forces that will reassure all Allies that we are delivering across the whole Alliance not only the east, on strengthening our deterrence and defense in a more dangerous and competitive world,” Stoltenberg said.
The new force model on the eastern flank will consist of mainly three pillars.
One is increased forward presence with more combat operations. Just over the last months, NATO has doubled the number of battlegroups in the East from four to eight from the Baltic countries down to the Black Sea. France is in lead of the battle group in Romania and “other Allies have also stepped up.” Allies are ready to increase further the number of combat troops, forward deployed combat formations, including with more command and control, which is essential to be able to organize and facilitate reinforcements.
The second element is more forward pre-positioned equipment to make it “much easier and faster to reinforce when needed.”
And the third element is pre-assigned troops, which are forces that will train in that specific territory where they have a responsibility.
Stoltenberg added that not all of the troops will be deployed forward. Parts of them will and parts of will be in the home country but ready to move quickly if needed.
As reported earlier, Brussels hosted a two-day meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of defense ministers. Also, on June 15, a third meeting of the Ukraine Security Assistance Contact Group (Ramstein 3) was held, initiated by the United States. The allies agreed urgent steps toward defense assistance to Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
