NATO prepared for potential Russian escalation on eastern flank

NATO is prepared to respond to potential Russian escalation on the Alliance’s eastern flank, according to Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chairman of the NATO Military Committee. Speaking following a meeting of top military commanders from 32 member nations in Copenhagen, Dragone stated, “The Alliance is ready, the structure is ready, the troops... the armament is ready.”

Dragone noted that NATO is continuously expanding its forces in both numbers and technological complexity. The Alliance maintains extensive military plans covering various scenarios, ranging from limited security incidents to direct attacks. He characterized recent security provocations by Moscow as attempts to create divisions and test NATO’s resolve, asserting that such actions instead make the Alliance “more united and more decisive.”

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, NATO revised its defense strategies, adopting three major regional plans in 2023: one for the North and Atlantic, one for the Baltic and Central Europe, and one for the South, covering the Black Sea and Mediterranean. The meeting also addressed strengthening collective defense, technological development, and support for Ukraine. German General Karsten Breuer was elected as the next Chairman of the Military Committee.