NATO has 500,000 troops positioned for heightened alert.
As a result of Russia's ongoing military assault on Ukraine, NATO has raised the preparedness of 500,000 soldiers. This announcement was made by NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg following a defense ministers meeting in Brussels. The number of soldiers ready for deployment marks a 200,000 increase compared to the alliance's agreement at the Madrid summit in June 2022.
NATO member countries had agreed during Russia's invasion in Ukraine in February 2022 to increase the troops they could mobilize within 30 days. At the Madrid summit, NATO set a target of 300,000 troops. This goal has now been exceeded. Faster deployment of troops forms part of the defensive plans against a potential Russian attack.
On the sidelines of the meeting, German Federal Defense Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) highlighted that in an emergency, his country could send 35,000 soldiers and troops within 10 to 30 days - its highest two readiness levels.
Additionally, Pistorius brought up the issue of air defense gaps. The German government has initiated a European air defense project, European Sky Shield (Essi), which currently has 21 participants.
