Sputnik
WASHINGTON
A senior NATO defence official said on Monday that the military alliance would defend its eastern flank not only with land forces but also with an “enormous amount” of air and sea power.
“If the only way we were going to defend the eastern flank was through the battle groups, even when scaled up to brigade level, the answer would be no. Of course, that’s not the only way that we plan to defend all of the territory of the alliance. One of the things which obviously Ukraine can’t draw on but we would is the enormous amount of air power and power that can be projected from the sea,” Angus Lapsley, NATO Assistant Secretary-General for Defense Policy and Planning, said at a conference held by Georgetown’s Center for Security Studies.
He also said that NATO was now working to give the necessary authority to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe in order to move forces in place ahead of an anticipated Article Five situation.
Moscow has for years objected to NATO’s continued expansion and military buildup near Russian borders. Russian President Vladimir Putin has said on several occasions that Moscow is not going to attack NATO countries. Russia does not threaten anyone, but will not ignore actions that are potentially dangerous to its interests, the Kremlin has said.
