NATO gets contributions from 16 countries for battalions in the east

SoldierSoldier.Photo: pixabay.com

NATO has put in place the soldiers who will form the Alliance tripwire against the Russian border in Poland and the Baltic States.

All in all, 16 countries are ready to contribute to the four battalions, announced Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to NATO Defense Ministers meeting in Brussels on Wednesday evening.

* Germany will lead a battalion in Lithuania; where Norway, Belgium, Croatia, France, Luxembourg and the Netherlands will contribute.

* Canada will lead a battalion in Latvia; where Albania, Italy, Poland and Slovenia contribute.

* UK will lead a battalion in Estonia; where Denmark and France will contribute.

* The USA will lead a battalion in Poland; where Romania and the UK will contribute.

In summer

NATO should begin to deploy forces in early 2017, and the goal is to have all in place by summer. Each battalion will consist of about 1,000 soldiers.

– It will be a real multinational force that sends an unequivocal signal that NATO is united. An attack on one ally will be an attack on all of us, said Stoltenberg.

 

– It is a robust, multi-national and combat ready force, says NATO commander, who also pointed out that there may be variations from country to country.

The Norwegian contribution in Lithuania shall consist of a so-called mechanized company contravention group of about 200 men from the North Brigade. The government has not yet made the final decision about when the Norwegians will be sent.

 

Source: NTB scanpix / Norway Today