Baku / 02.06.18 / Turan: NATO plans to create 30,000-strong rapid reaction forces in Europe in addition to those available in case of an attack from Russia. Deutsche Welle reported that this is stated in the article of the German edition of Welt am Sonntag (WamS), published on June 2.
Representatives of 23 EU states signed a declaration of intent to participate in "permanent structural cooperation on security and defense issues." The final decision must be made in December.
It is planned that the rapid reaction force will have several hundred combat aircraft and ships, the publication writes citing diplomats in NATO. The new units should strengthen the existing rapid reaction force, which includes 20,000 soldiers.
It is expected that NATO members will take an appropriate decision at the summit in July. Source WamS reported that Germany in such forces will play a leading role.
Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada now head the international rapid response teams stationed in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.
NATO expects that these units are prepared to restrain, and, if necessary, immediately respond to any aggression together with the national armed forces of these states. Four battalions, formed from representatives of 15 different NATO states, have a total of about 4,500 military personnel. Their deployment was a direct response to Russia's aggressive actions against Ukraine.
In 2017, NATO countries on average increased defense spending, compared to the previous year by 2.25%. Previously it was reported by the media, the US military conducted preliminary discussions on the deployment of a powerful anti-ballistic missile defense system in Germany to strengthen European defense. -02D-
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