Russia’s war in Ukraine precipitated NATO’s “unprecedented level of alliance planning for defense,” Army Gen. Christopher Cavoli, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and commander of U.S. European Command, said on Tuesday.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has used a supposed threat from NATO as justification for invading Ukraine, and he hoped to divide the alliance, but the war has had the opposite effect.
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TWO MORE MASS GRAVES FOUND IN IZYUM AS LIBERATED UKRAINIAN CITIES INVESTIGATED
“It was the [Deterrence and Defense of the Euro-Atlantic Area] strategy that enabled allies to rapidly strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defense posture in all domains before and after the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a coherent and purpose-driven manner,” Cavoli explained during Tuesday’s virtual Center for European Policy Analysis Forum. “This strengthened posture is now shielding NATO allies, and it reduces the risk of the conflict widening. It also both reflects and reinforces our alliance’s unity.”
In discussing their strengthened posture on the eastern flank of the alliance, he said, “This force is complemented by national forces and totals over 150,000 troops. These land forces are supported by a very significant number of air and maritime forces, including air and missile defense capabilities. Our forces are at a high level of readiness, and we have a strategically advantageous posture.”
The goal moving forward, he added, is to “further develop the full range of ready forces and capabilities necessary to respond to multiple contingencies” while also aiming to “triple the number of forces available to support NATO’s military objectives.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced in late June that NATO will increase its level of high-readiness force troops to “well over 300,000,” describing the plan as “the biggest overhaul of our collective deterrence and defense since the Cold War.”
Other changes announced at the time included additional pre-positioned equipment and stockpiles of military supplies; more forward-deployed capabilities; strengthening command and control; and upgrading defense plans. These forces, Stoltenberg added, will work with local military forces and will become familiar with the terrain and facilities preemptively so that they can respond more quickly.
Last week, Putin announced in a major speech a partial mobilization effort of 300,000 reservists to infuse Russia’s military ranks, which have been diminished significantly through seven months of war, and he reiterated his threat to use a nuclear weapon. He also addressed NATO’s support for Ukraine.
“They have even resorted to the nuclear blackmail. I am referring not only to the Western-encouraged shelling of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, which poses a threat of a nuclear disaster, but also to the statements made by some high-ranking representatives of the leading NATO countries on the possibility and admissibility of using weapons of mass destruction — nuclear weapons — against Russia,” Putin said.
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“I would like to remind those who make such statements regarding Russia that our country has different types of weapons as well, and some of them are more modern than the weapons NATO countries have,” he added. “In the event of a threat to the territorial integrity of our country, and to defend Russia and our people, we will certainly make use of all weapon systems available to us. This is not a bluff.”
The Biden administration has condemned Putin’s rhetoric in the speech and has communicated “directly” and “privately” to the Russians about the “catastrophic consequences” they would incur if they use a nuclear weapon.
