NATO ramps up air defence in Europe amid Russian threat
As reported by Bloomberg, NATO intends to increase its air defence capabilities in Europe fivefold in response to the threat from Russia. Details of the plan will be discussed during the defence ministers' meeting in Brussels.
What do you need to know?
- NATO plans a significant increase in air defence in Europe as a response to the growing threat from Russia.
- The NATO defence ministers' meeting will take place in Brussels. There, details of the plan, as well as the approval of a program to increase armament stockpiles, will be discussed.
- NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte emphasized the alliance's readiness for a full-scale conflict, noting that the current situation is neither war nor peace.
What are NATO's plans for increasing air defence?
NATO aims to increase its ground-based air defence capabilities among European member states fivefold. This plan is a response to the threat from Russia. This topic will be discussed during Thursday's NATO defence ministers' meeting in Brussels.
Details of the plan, including the timeline, remain unclear for now, but the increase in defence capabilities would apply across the entire continent, with varied participation from individual countries.
Ministers are also expected to approve one of the largest programs to increase armament stockpiles since the Cold War, as part of broader efforts to make Europe and Canada less reliant on American defence systems.
Why is NATO focusing on air defence?
Expanding air defence is one of NATO's priorities, particularly in light of increasingly advanced threats such as drones, missiles, and fighter jets.
In recent decades, member states of the alliance have reduced the development of these systems, focusing on threats from outside Europe. However, Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has necessitated a change in this strategy.
