The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) activated its response force for the first
time ever on Friday.
NATO’s Twitter account announced Friday, “We are deploying elements of the #NATO
Response Force".
NATO Supreme Allied Commander Gen. Tod Wolters said in a statement shared with CNN,
“This is a historic moment and the very first time the Alliance has employed these
high readiness forces in a deterrence and defense role.
They represent a flexible, combat credible force that can be employed in multiple ways
and we are utilizing fully their inherent agility.
These deterrence measures are prudent and enhance our speed, responsiveness and capability
to shield and protect the one billion citizens we swore to protect.”
Activation comes as Moscow warned Finland and Sweden against joining NATO, a move that
it said would have “serious military-political repercussion.
In this video Defense Updates analyzes what does the activation of NATO's response force
mean?
Let's get into the details.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO is an intergovernmental military alliance
between 28 European countries and 2 North American countries.
Established in the aftermath of World War II, the organization implements the North
Atlantic Treaty that was signed on 4 April 1949.
NATO constitutes a system of collective security, whereby its independent member states agree
to mutual defense in response to an attack by any external party.
The NATO headquarters are located in Brussels, Belgium, while the headquarters of Allied
Command Operations is near Mons, Belgium.
NATO Response Force or NRF is a rapid-reaction, multinational force comprising land, air,
sea and special forces units, that falls under the command of the Supreme Allied Commander
in Europe and is designed to be ready for rapid deployment in case of a conflict.
Rotating forces through the NRF requires nations to meet the demanding standards needed for
collective defense and expeditionary operations.
As the standards are very high, participation in the NRF is preceded by a six-month NATO
exercise program in order to integrate and standardize the various national contingents.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg stated Russia now poses a new threat to European
security.
Stoltenberg said, “The Kremlin’s objectives are not limited to Ukraine,” referring to
two draft treaties presented by Putin in December calling for a withdrawal of all NATO forces
from member states that joined after 1997 as well as blocking any future NATO membership.
NATO and the United States have rejected Russia’s demands, which Putin has stated were based
on Russian security concerns.
Given Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Stoltenberg said the alliance had to take Putin’s threat
of non-compliance seriously and shore up the eastern flank of the alliance, which borders
Russia and Belarus, where tens of thousands of Russian troops are operating.
Stoltenberg said, “If we don’t meet the demands, there will be what they call ‘military
technical consequences.
So, we have to take this seriously.
And that’s exactly why we are now deploying the NATO response force for the first time
in a collective defense.”
The full NATO response force consists of about 40,000 troops.
It is to be noted that the NRF has tripled since Russia’s invasion of Crimea in 2014.
Jens Stoltenberg said some of the NRF air component was already active, while some land
troops would be ready in “a few days.”
The Secretary-General said the alliance continued to show unity in its support for NATO partner
Ukraine.
“NATO allies have and continue to provide support … [and] different types of equipment
to Ukraine,” he said.
“Allies announced, and also informed, other allies about the type of weapons, the type
of support, and some of that also includes air defense systems.”
The statement called the NRF movements “preventive, proportionate, and non-escalatory.”
Responding to reports that Ukraine had agreed to begin peace talks with Russia in Minsk,
Stoltenberg said Moscow had an easy path to peace:
“If they want peace, it’s just stop … attacking Ukraine.”
In a statement issued by NATO on Feb 25, the alliance condemned Russia’s full-scale invasion
of Ukraine and called on Russia to “immediately cease its military assault, to withdraw all
its forces from Ukraine, and to turn back from the path of aggression it has chosen.”
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance needs to do more to deter Russia,
amid its ongoing Ukraine invasion.
Stoltenberg said, “We must stand ready to do more, even if
it means we have to pay the price, because we are in this for the long haul.
We have to take this seriously, and that’s exactly why we are now deploying the NATO
response force for the first time in a collective defense context.”
The response force is being activated as part of larger deterrence efforts along NATO's
eastern front.
Activation of the response troops does not mean that any U.S. or NATO troops will go
into Ukraine, which is not a member.
The idea seems to be to create a red line at the border between Ukraine and NATO member
states that can avoid a spillover and is a show that NATO allies are willing to stand
together.
The move will enable NATO to move troops and military assets as necessary.
It is to be noted that the combined military spending of all NATO members in 2020 constituted
over 57% of the global nominal total and members agreed that their aim is to reach or maintain
the target defense spending of at least 2% of their GDP by 2024.
It remains to be seen if more maneuvering by NRF is seen in the
coming days.