Some 300,000 troops across the continent will be on high alert from next year in the event of Russia threatening a military strike on any member of the alliance, and Finland and Sweden will be formally invited to join.
Additional forces will be deployed to specific allies for defense
Existing NATO defenses on the east side of the alliance will increase in size to a brigade – about 3,000 to 5,000 troops in addition to local forces. Britain will deploy an additional 1,000 troops based in the United Kingdom and one of its two new aircraft carriers to defend Estonia, where Britain has already deployed about 1,700 people. US President Joe Biden has announced the deployment of a brigade of 3,000 combat troops in Romania, two squadrons of F-35 fighter jets in the United Kingdom and two naval destroyers in Spain.
Heavy equipment located near the border with Russia
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg explained that the new strategy meant that heavy equipment would be placed close to NATO’s borders, allowing people to move quickly to use it. Prior to the summit, Estonian Prime Minister Kaya Callas had argued that existing NATO defense plans would give Russia time to wipe Tallinn off the map before Western troops could be mobilized. During the summit, UK Defense Secretary Ben Wallace acknowledged that it would take 60 days for additional tanks to move to the Baltic states in the event of a conflict under old plans.
Russia has been described as the main threat to NATO
A 2022 NATO Strategic Idea Paper has been published, which identified Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as the driving force behind the changes. It was the first time the document had been revised since 2010, when Russia was still attending NATO summits. “The Russian Federation’s aggressive war against Ukraine has shattered peace and seriously changed our security environment,” he said. “Its brutal and illegal invasion, its repeated violations of international humanitarian law, and its heinous attacks and atrocities have caused untold suffering and destruction.”
Finland and Sweden have been formally invited to participate
An agreement reached between Finland, Sweden and Turkey paved the way for a formal invitation from the two Baltic states to the alliance. This marked the end of the two countries’ traditional neutrality, which dates back to the Cold War – and in the case of Sweden before that. Turkey’s objections were rejected after an agreement was reached in which the two Scandinavian countries pledged to take measures to control support for Kurdish terrorism. Their participation must be ratified individually by the parliaments of all 30 existing allies. Subscribe to the First Edition, our free daily newsletter – every morning at 7 p.m. BST
defense spending
NATO’s goal of spending 2% of each country’s GDP on defense will in future be seen as “more of a floor than a ceiling,” Stoltenberg said. However, although Downing Street agreed that the 2% target had been exceeded, it said a “reality check” had to be made on existing commitments on spending above inflation each year in parliament. Wallace, however, called for more investment after 2025. “As the threat changes, so must the funding,” he said.
An eye on China
The NATO document states that “China’s malicious hybrid and cyber-operations and its conflicting rhetoric and misinformation are targeting allies” and that “China’s stated aspirations and coercive policies challenge our interests, security and values.” The leaders of Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea attended a NATO summit for the first time.
