It is the NATO decision to strengthen the eastern flank – Polish Radio

Soldiers participating in international exercises Anaconda-16 Training Center traverse the Army in Drawsko Pomorskie. This is already the sixth edition of the exercise, involving 18 NATO member states and five countries of the Partnership for Peace. Photo: PAP / Marcin Bielecki

the final decision will be made at the July NATO summit in Warsaw. Preliminary findings will be taken today launched a two-day meeting of NATO defense ministers in Brussels.

Until now, it was said unofficially that Canadians could be at the core of enhanced military presence of NATO in Poland. Now, the most likely scenario is such that the head of the international battalion in our country become Americans.

– The top of the left less than a month, the definitive findings still do not have – he told Polish Radio one of the diplomats of NATO, who would not confirm unofficial information.

Apparently Canadians, although they want to send troops to the eastern flank, is not yet finally decided whether they will be responsible for the multinational NATO force in one of the countries. The headquarters is however expected a positive response, and then it is highly likely that Canadians would stand at the head of a multinational battalion in Latvia. According to unofficial information the Polish Radio that in Estonia for multinational battalion have said a British and Lithuania Germany.

The head of the Pact Jens Stoltenberg also announced that Romania will set up a new command center. – We will take decisions on a particular presence in the region south-east, with part of land built around a multinational brigade in Romania – said Jens Stoltenberg.

Not only battalions

Stoltenberg stressed yesterday that the ability to defense and deterrence will ensure not only the four battalions. – It’s part of a much larger changes, carried out in response to the challenges which we face – said Stoltenberg, remembering to triple the size of the NATO Response Force to 40,000 troops and the establishment of the so-called forces. szpicy about the size of 5 thousand. soldiers, which can be displaced in a risk area in a few days. Also created eight new units Integration Forces of NATO to the east of the Alliance, which co-ordinate planning and exercises. Passed will be more equipment and supplies.

Stoltenberg estimated that Member States have made substantial progress to allow troops faster moving around Europe – to exercise or to promote other allies if necessary.

He recalled the fact that in may in Poland took place the so-called exercise. szpicy NATO, which one thousand soldiers and four vehicles were transferred from Spain in four days.

are needed spending more

All of these efforts – said the secretary-general – require higher defense spending. In this respect, NATO has both successes and failures, but the data for 2015. And estimates for 2016. Show an increase.

– After the end of the Cold War, there was a long cut defense spending among European allies and Canada . Year 2015 was the first after many years, when we saw a slight increase in defense spending. Estimates for 2016 indicate a further increase – said the secretary-general on Monday’s press conference in Brussels.

According to the data, which presented Stoltenberg, it shows that in 2015. Defense expenditure of European NATO states and Canada increased by 0 , 6 pp., in 2016. are expected to rise by 1.5 pct., which – as he said the secretary-general – an increase of more than 3 billion dollars.

Stoltenberg reminded that in 2014. at the summit in Newport, Wales allies pledged to increase defense spending to 2 percent. GDP within a decade. He added that 20 of the 28 members of NATO is planning to actually raise defense expenditure.

The meeting of defense ministers in Brussels, is also to be devoted to what Stoltenberg called the projection of stability beyond the borders of the Alliance by strengthening local forces and the fight against terrorism .

IAR / PAP / agkm