Mixed views in East Europe on higher NATO defense

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WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Leaders in most Eastern European nations are just short of jubilant after NATO created a rapid-reaction “spearhead” force to protect the region from Russian bullying. They have long sought a commitment to allay their fears, especially following Russia’s recent aggression in Ukraine.

But not all share in the joy. Some who spent decades under the Soviet yoke — politicians and ordinary people — think that the move could enrage Moscow and undermine the sense of security they have felt since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the expansion of NATO in the 1990s.

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