NATO is discussing the possibility of further strengthening its own grouping of troops and military equipment near the borders with Russia, writes Politico. Thus, the alliance, the newspaper notes, expects to stop the possible expansion of hostilities outside of Ukraine.
According to Politico, NATO officials are pushing the idea of stationing 300,000 troops on the eastern borders.
Thus, the first echelon of the alliance’s troops may consist of about 100,000 soldiers, ready to move out within ten days. It may include military personnel from Poland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The second tier will support the first and should be ready to deploy within 10 to 30 days from countries like Germany.
However, writes Politico, this strategy requires significant efforts and coordination from NATO members, and many countries of the alliance are already worried about their own insufficient stocks of ammunition, the replenishment of which takes time and money.
As The New York Times reported in November 2022, 20 out of 30 NATO member countries have significantly exhausted their military resources to send weapons to Ukraine.
In December, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg admitted that the war in Ukraine could escalate into a conflict between the North Atlantic Alliance and Russia. According to him, NATO is working daily to avoid this.
