NATO intends to significantly increase its forces, reports Welt
According to a report by Die Welt, the US-led coalition is planning the establishment of 49 new combat brigades aimed at countering Russia. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
According to the outlet, the US-led bloc aims to quintuple the number of ground-based air defense units to counter Moscow.
NATO is poised to significantly expand its combat units in response to rising tensions with Russia, as reported by the daily Die Welt on Saturday, which referenced a confidential planning document obtained from the German Defense Ministry.
The document, titled “Minimum Capability Requirements,” was purportedly drafted by two high-ranking commanders within the US-led alliance: American General Christopher Cavoli, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and French Admiral Pierre Vandier, who oversees the bloc’s doctrinal and transformation matters.
Die Welt noted that the document specifies the essential requirements NATO must meet to defend “every centimeter” of its territory in a potential conflict with Moscow.
Cavoli and Vandier argue that the current number of combat brigades, which stands at 82, is inadequate for this mission and should be escalated to 131. Following German army standards, each of these new formations should consist of approximately 5,000 soldiers, although the newspaper did not clarify whether the NATO strategy paper detailed any specific requirements.
Additionally, the document indicates that the number of corps should rise from six to 15, while divisions should increase from 24 to 38. Furthermore, the number of ground-based air defense units, utilizing systems such as US-made Patriots or German-made IRIS-T, is proposed to expand from 293 to 1,467, according to the outlet.
Each of the 32 NATO member states would be expected to contribute to these new “minimum capabilities” based on their population size.
It remains unclear how swiftly NATO countries would be able to implement these new requirements. Die Welt reports that the German Armed Forces – the Bundeswehr – currently operates eight combat brigades, with one additional brigade being formed, and Berlin aims to establish another by 2031.
The proposed military buildup would necessitate “significant further funding," the authors stated, as cited by Die Welt. They indicated that meeting the plan likely "demands significantly more than two percent" of member nations' national GDP on defense.
Since the onset of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, Western nations have consistently labeled Russia as a primary security threat.
The Kremlin has denied any intentions to attack NATO. President Vladimir Putin has characterized the narrative of a ‘Russian threat’ as “nonsense” and as propaganda by Western governments aimed at instilling fear in European populations “to extract additional expenses” from them. Nonetheless, senior Russian officials have warned that the West's growing involvement in Ukraine through arms shipments and other military support raises the risk of a direct confrontation with the bloc.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
NATO is poised to significantly expand its combat units in response to rising tensions with Russia, as reported by the daily Die Welt on Saturday, which referenced a confidential planning document obtained from the German Defense Ministry.
The document, titled “Minimum Capability Requirements,” was purportedly drafted by two high-ranking commanders within the US-led alliance: American General Christopher Cavoli, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and French Admiral Pierre Vandier, who oversees the bloc’s doctrinal and transformation matters.
Die Welt noted that the document specifies the essential requirements NATO must meet to defend “every centimeter” of its territory in a potential conflict with Moscow.
Cavoli and Vandier argue that the current number of combat brigades, which stands at 82, is inadequate for this mission and should be escalated to 131. Following German army standards, each of these new formations should consist of approximately 5,000 soldiers, although the newspaper did not clarify whether the NATO strategy paper detailed any specific requirements.
Additionally, the document indicates that the number of corps should rise from six to 15, while divisions should increase from 24 to 38. Furthermore, the number of ground-based air defense units, utilizing systems such as US-made Patriots or German-made IRIS-T, is proposed to expand from 293 to 1,467, according to the outlet.
Each of the 32 NATO member states would be expected to contribute to these new “minimum capabilities” based on their population size.
It remains unclear how swiftly NATO countries would be able to implement these new requirements. Die Welt reports that the German Armed Forces – the Bundeswehr – currently operates eight combat brigades, with one additional brigade being formed, and Berlin aims to establish another by 2031.
The proposed military buildup would necessitate “significant further funding," the authors stated, as cited by Die Welt. They indicated that meeting the plan likely "demands significantly more than two percent" of member nations' national GDP on defense.
Since the onset of the conflict between Moscow and Kiev, Western nations have consistently labeled Russia as a primary security threat.
The Kremlin has denied any intentions to attack NATO. President Vladimir Putin has characterized the narrative of a ‘Russian threat’ as “nonsense” and as propaganda by Western governments aimed at instilling fear in European populations “to extract additional expenses” from them. Nonetheless, senior Russian officials have warned that the West's growing involvement in Ukraine through arms shipments and other military support raises the risk of a direct confrontation with the bloc.
Allen M Lee for TROIB News
