NATO is working on plans to deploy a permanent military presence on its external borders to be able to counter any future attack by Russia.
This was revealed by the head of the alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, to the British newspaper The Telegraph.
NATO "is in the midst of a very fundamental transformation" that will reflect "the long-term consequences" of Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions, Stoltenberg said during an interview with the British newspaper.
"What we are seeing now is a new reality, a new normal for European security. Consequently, we have asked our military commanders to present us with options for what we call a reset, a long-term realignment of NATO," the Norwegian military alliance chief said.
Stoltenberg, who recently announced that he would remain as secretary general of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation for another year, also said in an interview with Telegraph that final decisions on these changes would be made at the NATO meeting in Madrid in June.
Russia's invasion of Ukraine sparked the biggest refugee crisis on the Old Continent since World War II and forced Western governments to rethink their defence policies.
Stoltenberg: "The war in Ukraine could last for months or even years"
Note that SG. NATO has recently warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin has not given up his intention to occupy all of Ukraine and there is a risk that the war could last "months or even years."
"We have to be realistic.The war can last a long time, many months, or even years. And that is why we also have to be prepared for a long course, both in terms of support for Ukraine and in terms of maintaining sanctions and strengthening our defenses," Stoltenberg said shortly before the meeting of the Alliance's foreign ministers began in Brussels.[/P]Moreover, similar statements were made the day before by Jens Stoltenberg when he presented his assessments of Russia's plan in Ukraine.
According to the NATO chief, "Russia will try to take full control of Donbass and create a bridge to occupied Crimea."
"We are at a critical phase of the war," Stoltenberg warned yesterday, stressing that Moscow is not abandoning its offensive in Ukraine but is moving its troops away from Kiev for "reconstruction, rearmament and resupply" and further Russian thrusts into eastern and southern Ukraine are expected in the coming weeks.
New phase of the war in Ukraine will not end soon, White House believes
Earlier this week, the White House said the new phase of the war in Ukraine will not end soon as Moscow changes its strategy regarding its combat operations in Ukrainian territory.
According to the White House, Russia is now turning its attention to eastern Ukraine and may be planning to send large numbers of troops there in a war phase that could last "months or more."
*With information from RES
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