Jens Stoltenberg, the alliance’s secretary general, said the move would set an example of the “long-term consequences” of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph, he revealed that NATO’s security alliance could strengthen its military presence in countries such as Estonia and Latvia. Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine on 24 February, NATO’s current presence on the eastern side is known to have served as a more limited “tripwire” for any Russian aggression. Mr Stoltenberg said NATO had 40,000 troops on its eastern border, almost 10 times more than before the invasion. He added: “What we are seeing now is a new reality, a new regularity for European security. Therefore, we have now asked our military commanders to provide options for what we call a resumption, a longer-term NATO adjustment. Restoration must be accompanied by increased defense spending by partner states, Stoltenberg said (AFP via Getty Images) “I expect NATO leaders to make decisions on this when they meet in Madrid at the NATO summit in June.” He described the “reset” as “a transition from wire prevention to something more concerned with prevention through denial or defense”. Mr Stoltenberg added: “This is already under way. “We must ensure that we continue to be able, in a more dangerous world, to protect and defend all NATO allies.” Last month, the United Kingdom pledged to double its troops in Eastern Europe and send new troops to Bulgaria. In the interview, Stoltenberg urged other countries to emulate British support for Ukraine. It comes after Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s visit to Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. On Saturday, Mr Johnson paid a secretly planned visit to the Ukrainian capital to discuss with Mr Zelensky the United Kingdom’s plans to provide more military assistance to Ukraine, including anti-ship missiles and 120 armored vehicles. On Friday, the United Kingdom announced additional 100 100 million worth of equipment, including anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons. Johnson said: “Ukraine defied the odds and pushed the Russian forces out of the gates of Kiev, achieving the greatest weapon achievement of the 21st century.” In a joint television appearance with Mr Zelensky, he said: “I think the Ukrainians showed the courage of a lion and you Volodymyr gave the roar of that lion. “Having been here in Kyiv for only a few hours, I have no doubt that an independent sovereign Ukraine will be reborn thanks, above all, to heroism, the courage of the Ukrainian people.” In a video speech, Mr Zelensky said Johnson had made history by pledging to provide more military and financial support to Ukraine. In his speech, he said: “The leadership of the United Kingdom will forever be remembered in history for providing the necessary assistance to our country, especially defense, as well as leadership in sanctions policy.”
