Friday

29th Mar 2024

Nato to open facilities on Russia's doorstep

  • Stoltenberg (c) spoke of 'a disturbing pattern of destabilising Russian behaviour in its neighbourhood' (Photo: nato.int)

Nato is to open eight new facilities in Russia’s neighbourhood, but allies ruled out giving weapons to Ukraine for now.

The list includes six new “command and control centres” in Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Romania.

Read and decide

Join EUobserver today

Get the EU news that really matters

Instant access to all articles — and 20 years of archives. 14-day free trial.

... or subscribe as a group

It also covers a new “south-eastern headquarters” in Romania and a “training centre” in Georgia. An existing facility in Szczecin, Poland, is to be expanded to be become a “north-eastern headquarters”.

The six command centres, which will include US troops, are to underpin a new “spearhead” force of 5,000 soldiers designed to deter Russian aggression in the Baltic region.

Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain will command the force on a rotational basis, with the UK to take charge initially and to provide 1,000 personnel.

Nato’s Norwegian head, Jens Stoltenberg, said elements of the force will be ready to deploy by the weekend.

The measures are part of Nato’s reaction to Russia’s attack on Ukraine.

It has also: quadrupled air patrols in the Baltic region; increased troop numbers in Bulgaria, Poland, and Romaia; increased its naval presence in the Baltic, Black, and Mediterranean seas; and held dozens of drills on its eastern flank.

Stoltenberg described Russia’s recent actions in Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova, as “part of a disturbing pattern of destabilising Russian behaviour in its neighbourhood”.

He noted “there's no concrete immediate threat” of Russia’s aggression against Nato member states.

But the former Nato chief, Denmark’s Anders Fogh Rasmussen, told British daily The Telegraph the same day: “This is not about Ukraine. [Russian leader] Putin wants to restore Russia to its former position as a great power … There is a high probability that he will intervene in the Baltics to test Nato’s Article 5 [on collective defence]”.

The Nato defence chiefs met in Brussels amid calls by Ukraine for modern weapons to help stop Russian drones and tanks.

But the US and several EU states ruled out the move due to concerns on escalation.

US defence chief Chuck Hagel said the option is being kept “under review”. But he noted there is “no military solution” to the conflict.

He added that Nato’s Nuclear Planning Group, which also met on Thursday, is concerned about Russia’s “increasingly aggressive actions, such as the recent flight of nuclear capable bombers over the English channel”.

US general Philip Breedlove, Nato’s top military commander, told the AP news agency: “All manner of aid has to be taken in light of what we anticipate would be the Russian reaction”.

Lithuania’s defence minister said it has furnished “elements” of Ukraine’s request.

But the British, Dutch, French, German, and Italian ministers followed the US line.

“More weapons in this area will not bring us closer to a solution”, Germany’s Ursula von der Leyen told reporters. Italy’s Roberta Pinotti said: “We need to lower the temperature of the crisis, not to raise it”.

Provocation?

For its part, Russia reacted angrily to the new Nato facilities.

Alexander Grushko, its Nato ambassador, said the spearhead force increases the risk of a “military confrontation” in the Baltic region.

He described the training centre in Georgia as “provocative”.

He added that if Nato states arm Ukraine it would have “the most dangerous and unpredictable consequences”. Russia’s foreign ministry spokesman, Alexander Lukashevich, said in Moscow the same day that arming Ukraine would pose a “security threat” to Russia.

Nato unity

Meanwhile, Hagel himself voiced concern that Nato’s new Russia focus could alienate members who believe the Middle East should be a bigger priority.

“I worry about the potential for division between our northern and southern allies”, he said.

But Stoltenberg downplayed concerns the new far-left Greek government, which is more Russia-friendly than its predecessors, could cause a split.

“The new Greek minister of defence underlined very strongly for me that they are going to continue to be a committed partner”, he said.

EU to blacklist five Russians

EU diplomats have agreed to list a Russian deputy defence minister, two officials and two MPs over the recent escalation in Ukraine.

Nato solidarity lacks public support

More than half of Germans, Italians, and French are opposed to honouring Nato's Article V in a conflict between Russia and a neighbouring Nato state.

US and EU breaking taboos to restrain Israel

The US abstained and all EU states on the UN Security Council backed a call for an "immediate ceasefire" in Gaza, as Europe prepares to also blacklist extremist Israeli settlers.

Opinion

Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Rather than assuming a pro-European Labour government in London will automatically open doors in Brussels, the Labour party needs to consider what it may be able to offer to incentivise EU leaders to factor the UK into their defence thinking.

Latest News

  1. Kenyan traders react angrily to proposed EU clothes ban
  2. Lawyer suing Frontex takes aim at 'antagonistic' judges
  3. Orban's Fidesz faces low-polling jitters ahead of EU election
  4. German bank freezes account of Jewish peace group
  5. EU Modernisation Fund: an open door for fossil gas in Romania
  6. 'Swiftly dial back' interest rates, ECB told
  7. Moscow's terror attack, security and Gaza
  8. Why UK-EU defence and security deal may be difficult

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Nordic Council of MinistersJoin the Nordic Food Systems Takeover at COP28
  2. Nordic Council of MinistersHow women and men are affected differently by climate policy
  3. Nordic Council of MinistersArtist Jessie Kleemann at Nordic pavilion during UN climate summit COP28
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersCOP28: Gathering Nordic and global experts to put food and health on the agenda
  5. Friedrich Naumann FoundationPoems of Liberty – Call for Submission “Human Rights in Inhume War”: 250€ honorary fee for selected poems
  6. World BankWorld Bank report: How to create a future where the rewards of technology benefit all levels of society?

Stakeholders' Highlights

  1. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsThis autumn Europalia arts festival is all about GEORGIA!
  2. UNOPSFostering health system resilience in fragile and conflict-affected countries
  3. European Citizen's InitiativeThe European Commission launches the ‘ImagineEU’ competition for secondary school students in the EU.
  4. Nordic Council of MinistersThe Nordic Region is stepping up its efforts to reduce food waste
  5. UNOPSUNOPS begins works under EU-funded project to repair schools in Ukraine
  6. Georgia Ministry of Foreign AffairsGeorgia effectively prevents sanctions evasion against Russia – confirm EU, UK, USA

Join EUobserver

EU news that matters

Join us