NATO strengthens its eastern flank
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said more and more countries confirmed contributions to strengthening the Alliances eastern flank in the face of Russian threat in the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. He made this announcement at a NATO meeting
Corina Cristea, 27.10.2016, 14:09
“Several nations indicated their willingness to contribute to our presence in the Black Sea region, on land, at sea and in the air, including Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Turkey and the United States, said the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg at a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels.
He also hailed the contribution of NATO member states to the four battalions the Alliance will deploy in 2017 in the three Baltic states and Poland, amid growing tensions with Moscow. The decision regarding the gradual deployment to Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland of the four battalions, each of approximately 1,000 military, was taken at the latest NATO summit held in Warsaw in July and forms part of a number of measures intended to allay the fears of Russias neighbouring states who feel more vulnerable because of the Ukrainian conflict and Russias annexation of Crimea in March 2014.
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg: “I am proud to announce that many other Allies confirmed contributions to these forces today. Albania, Italy, Poland and Slovenia will contribute to the Canadian-led battalion in Latvia. Belgium, Croatia, France, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Norway will join the German-led battalion in Lithuania. Denmark and France will contribute to the UK-led battalion in Estonia. And Romania and the United Kingdom will join the US-led battalion in Poland.
Jens Stoltenberg emphasised that NATO does not seek confrontation with Russia, but that what it does is defensive.
On the sidelines of the NATO defence ministers meeting, the Romanian defence minister Mihnea Motoc had talks with the British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon. The two officials reiterated their countries commitment to a NATO advanced presence on the eastern flank as a central element of the consolidation of the allied defence and deterrence posture. Michael Fallon highlighted the intensification of joint training activities through the deployment next year of British forces and land, air and sea capabilities on Romanian territory and at the Black Sea. The British authorities have decided to deploy RAF Typhoon fighters to Romania in 2017 to carry out air police missions and take part in training activities together with the Romanian Air Force. (Translated by C. Mateescu)
