NATO on Friday sent a strong message to Russia that it will not tolerate aggressive behaviour against its members, by approving a response force capable of being deployed at very short notice anywhere in the world.
While the force will work on a rotational basis, in order not to violate a 1997 agreement with Moscow not to station permanent forces along the Russian border, the Baltic republics, Poland and Romania had all indicated their willingness to host the force’s reception facilities.
This means the force, expected to consist of between 3,000 and 5,000 soldiers, would be deployable along the Russian border in less than a week.
“I think the decision we have taken today to prepare a Readiness Action Plan (RAP) sends a very clear message to Russia that we are strongly determined to take all steps necessary to provide effective protection and defence of our allies,” Rasmussen said.
“In the light of the current security situation, I find it appropriate that as a result of RAP you will see more visible NATO presence in the east,” Rasmussen added, in a reference to the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
In two other moves designed to demonstrate NATO’s resolve against Russia, the alliance agreed to host its next summit in Warsaw and to pursue membership negotiations with Georgia.
“NATO’s door remains open” and “no third country has a veto over NATO enlargement,” said Rasmussen in response to longstanding Russian objections towards the alliance’s eastern expansion.
The NATO chief also confirmed that there would be no changes to the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act, which regulates relations between the old Cold War foes.
“We reaffirmed our commitment to what we call a rule-based architecture in Europe. We urge Russia to live up to her commitment within that architecture,” Rasmussen said.
On Iraq, he confirmed that NATO would not be engaging in military action against Islamic State militants, but vowed to help Iraq in other ways, for instance through the revival of a training mission.
“NATO could also play a coordinating role,” for instance during airlifts, he added.
The second and final day of NATO’s summit in Wales had started with a flypast by the air forces of Britain and eight other NATO allies.
The leaders watched formations of Typhoons, Mirages and Eurofighters fly over the Celtic Manor resort, the summit venue.
They were also scheduled during the summit to discuss ways of boosting funding for the 28-strong alliance.
The first day of the summit in Newport had ended with a working dinner, in which “leaders had a substantive wide ranging discussion focusing on Russia and the threat pose by the Islamic State,” a senior NATO official said.
As the NATO leaders met for a second day, European Union diplomats in Brussels were discussing a new round of sanctions against Russia.
As well as pushing for new sanctions, the United States has also been pressing European countries to honour a pledge to devote 2 per cent of their gross domestic product to defence spending.
Honouring the pledge “would send a strong message to those who threaten us that our collective resolve is as strong as ever,” said host David Cameron of Britain, whose country is one of the few to have met the target.
GNA
