The Baltic nations of Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia have been calling for a massive increase of NATO troops in the region that would be the biggest military buildup of the alliance in Europe since the end of the Cold War. But according to a report from Reuters that cited seven unnamed senior diplomats and officials from NATO, it’s not going to happen.
The US and its NATO allies have increased their presence in the Baltic states since Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24. Before the invasion, each Baltic country had about 2,000 NATO troops stationed on its territory on a rotational basis.
The Washington Post reported last month that the Baltic states want to increase the NATO troop contingent in each country to about 6,000. They also want a force of about 20,000 troops on stand-by that could be rapidly deployed to the region with military equipment for the force pre-positioned in the Baltics.
“The Baltic states will not each get enough NATO troops to create a division,” a NATO diplomat told Reuters, referring to the Baltic request for additional troops in their territory. “Whatever is decided must be sustainable.”
An increase in NATO forces in the Baltics is still expected, and the issue will be decided on at the upcoming NATO summit in Madrid, which will take place from June 28-30. But the alliance doesn’t want to sink too many resources into the region as many members are focused on other areas, including the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, the Sahel, and the Arctic.
Three diplomats told Reuters that many NATO nations, including the US and Britain, do not favor establishing permanent bases in the region. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Mark Milley, the top US general, has previously suggested that the Baltic states could pay for and build permanent bases that the US could rotate its forces through.
One issue with permanent bases in the region is that it would violate the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act. Under the agreement, NATO agreed not to establish a permanent military presence east of Germany. Most NATO nations agree that Russia violated the agreement by invading Ukraine, but are at odds over whether or not to abandon the deal altogether.
What an absolute JOKE! Come on … 6,000 or 4,000 or 2,000 none of this would stop Russia if she wanted to move. Who are these people kidding?
Baltics are simply NATO cannon fodder. Fools
The Baltics occupy strategic ground and have been an irritant of long-standing; should they join in the virulent anti-Russian war dance, as appears likely, and start the racist thing like the UkraNazis in the Donbas and Crimea, they had best get prepared for ….
I have a suggestion… Why not rent the NATO guys out?…. Give them to the highest bidder. Also, each country can sweeten the deal by offering perks. (Show some photos of cute guys and girls and whatnot…)
The Baltics are the national equivalents of annoying little yappy dogs. They contribute nothing to NATO security, yet “demand” everything. Biden is too stupid to realize that, in real terms, these aren’t even “countries”; they are barely equivalent in size to a single city; In fact, New York City’s Police Department is larger (and probably better armed) than the active duty military of all three of the Baltics COMBINED; but it must be galling to Germany and France to have to pretend to treat these 3 mutts as “equals” and “allies”.
Don’t get hit in the face with a Bear Claw when NATO leaves you hanging out to dry!
Stoltenberg and Biden will suffer a tremendous loss of face.