Article author:
Associated Press
Samuel Petrequin
Brussels (AP) — NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltemberg said on Monday that the military alliance has nearly eight times the size of its rapid rebels. He said he would increase the number to 300,000. As part of our response to the "era of strategic competition."
NATO Response Force currently has approximately 40,000 soldiers and can be quickly deployed as needed.
Coupled with other measures, including the deployment of troops to protect certain allies, Stoltenberg said the move was part of "the greatest review of collective defense and deterrence since the Cold War." Said there was.
Stoltenberg spoke at a press conference prior to the NATO summit in Madrid later this week.
Stortemberg said he hopes to reveal that his allies see Russia as "the most important and direct threat to our security."
In NATO's new strategic concept, the alliance is also expected to tackle the security challenges raised by China for the first time, Stoltemberg said. In Madrid, he added, the allies would discuss how to respond to Russia's and China's growing influence in the "southern region."
Stoltenberg agrees to provide Ukraine with additional military assistance when its allies are convened in Spain, and NATO members "strengthen" including the provision of secure communications and anti-drone systems. He said he plans to adopt a comprehensive support package that has been provided.
In the long run, the allies said they were aiming to help Ukraine move from Soviet-era weapons to modern NATO equipment.
Another central theme of the NATO Summit is the possibility that Finland and Sweden will join the alliance after Russia invades Ukraine.
Because Turkey, a NATO member, so far considers it a soft approach to organizations that Turkey considers to be terrorists, such as the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK). The application is blocked.
Turkey requires Sweden and Finland to give transfer requests to individuals required by Turkish authorities. Ankara claims that each country is accommodating PKK members, as well as those who say it is related to the failure of the 2016 coup.
Turkey also wants assurance that the weapons restrictions imposed by both countries on Turkey's 2019 military invasion of northern Syria will be lifted.
Stoltenberg said Turkey's President Legep Taip Erdogan, Finland's President Sauli Niinistö, and Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Anderson have agreed to meet beside the summit.
"Since Finland and Sweden applied for membership, we have been trying to join the alliance as soon as possible," said Stoltemberg. "I make no promise, but Finland and Sweden's accession to NATO is historic, so I can assure you that they are actively working to ensure progress."
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Jan M. Olsen of Copenhagen contributed to this report.
