NATO says it has put forces on standby and is sending extra ships and fighter jets to Eastern Europe amid a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine.
“NATO will continue to take all necessary measures to protect and defend all Allies, including by reinforcing the eastern part of the Alliance. We will always respond to any deterioration of our security environment,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement.
The alliance said that it’s beefing up its “deterrence” presence in the Baltic Sea area, as several members have offered troops and equipment.
The statement pointed to decisions in recent days by Denmark to send a frigate and warplanes to the Baltics, Spain bolstering naval deployments and the Netherlands putting a “ship and land-based units on standby” for its rapid response force.
“France has expressed its readiness to send troops to Romania under NATO command,” the statement noted.
The move came as European Union foreign ministers sought to present a display of resolve in support of Ukraine.
“All members of the European Union are united. We are showing unprecedented unity about the situation in Ukraine, with the strong coordination with the U.S.,” EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell told reporters in Brussels.
