Reuters, 05/02 15:51 CET
By Robin Emmott
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Backed by an increase in U.S. military spending, NATO
is planning its biggest build-up in eastern Europe since the Cold War
to deter Russia but will reject Polish demands for permanent bases.
Worried since Russia’s seizure of Crimea that Moscow
could rapidly invade Poland or the Baltic states, the Western military
alliance wants to bolster defences on its eastern flank without
provoking the Kremlin by stationing large forces permanently.
NATO defence ministers will
next week begin outlining plans for a complex web of small eastern
outposts, forces on rotation, regular war games and warehoused equipment
ready for a rapid response force. That force includes air, maritime and
special operations units of up to 40,000 personnel.
The allies are also expected to offer Moscow a renewed
dialogue in the NATO-Russia Council, which has not met since 2014, about
improved military transparency to avoid surprise events and
misunderstandings, a senior NATO diplomat said.
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