NATO strengthens Eastern flank with new battlegroups and air defences
NATO is good for Europe, but it's also good for United States. It makes the United States stronger and safer because in NATO, the United States has something no other Ally… no other major power has, said Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General. New battlegroups will be established on NATO's eastern flank, and the latest air and missile defence systems will be headquartered in Poland.
- Today and tomorrow, we will have the NATO Summit with all the Heads of State of Government of the Allies with us. This will be an historic Summit because we will celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the most successful Alliance in history. But we will do more than celebrations. We will also make important decisions for the future on deterrence and defence, on Ukraine, and on how to expand our partnerships in particular with our partners in the Asia-Pacific, - began Jens Stoltenberg, NATO Secretary General.
- On deterrence and defence, we will ensure that we have the forces in place to meet the requirements of our new and ambitious defence plans. We already have 500.000 troops on high readiness, the highest in decades... We made the pledge ten years ago at the NATO Summit in 2014, that Allies should spend 2% of GDP on defence, - Stoltenberg informed.
He pointed out that in 2014, when the decision was made to allocate 2% of GDP to defence, only three allies met this requirement. - This year, 23 Allies will spend 2% or more of GDP on defence. This makes a big difference and demonstrates that Allies are taking security extremely serious, - he emphasised.
- New announcements of immediate military support including air defence and new bilateral security agreements between NATO Allies and Ukraine. And then finally we will step up what to do to ensure full interoperability between Ukrainian forces and NATO forces including with a new training and education centre in Poland, - Stoltenberg conveyed.
NATO issued a declaration from the summit in Washington
"National and collective resilience are an essential basis for credible deterrence and defence and the effective fulfillment of the Alliance’s core tasks in a 360-degree approach. Resilience is a national responsibility and a collective commitment, rooted in Article 3 of the Washington Treaty... We are closely monitoring technological advancements on the battlefield in Ukraine, and are launching new innovation initiatives with our Ukrainian partners." - the declaration reads.
"We are pleased to declare NATO Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Enhanced Operational Capability. The delivery of the Aegis Ashore site Redzikowo, Poland, complements existing assets in Romania, Spain, and Türkiye. Allies remain committed to the full development of NATO BMD, to pursue the Alliance’s collective defence and to provide full coverage and protection for all NATO European populations, territory, and forces against the increasing threat posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles," - the declaration reads.
- Nuclear deterrence is the cornerstone of Alliance security. The fundamental purpose of NATO’s nuclear capability is to preserve peace, prevent coercion and deter aggression. As long as nuclear weapons exist, NATO will remain a nuclear alliance, - said Stoltenberg, announcing the base's readiness during a press conference after the NATO summit in Washington.
The NATO chief also said that leaders agreed to adjust NATO's command structure and expand the capabilities of the integrated air and missile defence system.
