Who will participate in NATO's Forward Presence in the East? (shift1)

(BRUSSELS2 to Warsaw) NATO has just officially announced what had been prepared for several months: the reinforcement of its presence in the East, in the form of four battalions prepositioned in the four countries, considered the most fragile: the Baltic countries and Poland. The Warsaw summit, which began yesterday (July 8) and continues this Saturday (July 9), was an opportunity for the various Alliance countries to announce their participation. Who will participate? In which country ? Under what command?

Four battalions with 4 leading countries

The advanced presence "(Enhanced Forward Presence ) will consist of four battalions " robust and ", equipped with a " certain autonomy », deployed, in the three Baltic countries and Poland. They should be operational next year, in 2017. The composition of each battalion will be multinational and ensured on a six-month rotation. But one country will assume the role of framework nation, providing command and providing the bulk of the workforce: Germany in Lithuania, Canada in Latvia, the United Kingdom in Estonia and the United States in Poland for the First period. Each battalion will include around 1000 men (combatants, command and support), the number of which may vary depending on the season and the country. In all, 4000 men. A quasi-permanent presence that does not call into question the NATO-Russia agreements, we swear to the Alliance. But this presence has no time limit. It will last as long as necessary said Friday evening during his press conference, Jens Stoltenberg, the secretary general of the Alliance.

Poland pampered with a US armored brigade

This reinforcement is accentuated by the positioning, “ from next year of an American armored brigade in Poland. This brigade will consist of approximately 3200 men. It will not be based in Poland but its workforce will be provided by rotation (1). On the other hand, it will have prepositioned equipment: 1200 vehicles (including 25% tanks) (2). A force which will be added to the aviation detachment present on the air base of Łask, where the Americans maintain " continuously, by rotation, personnel and aircraft”. " When I arrived here five years ago, I promised to increase our commitment to Poland's security. That's exactly what we did declared the American president during a meeting with his Polish counterpart A. Duda. Poland " will see an increase (under) NATO of American personnel and more modern equipment. We will comply with our Article 5 common defense obligation (3).

Who will provide the staff

Battalion based in Lithuania : framework nation = Germany

+ The Netherlands should send about 150 soldiers to Lithuania, alongside the Germans. The Dutch Defense has a close cooperation with the German Bundeswehr especially in matters of the army.

+ The Belgium should also send a company, ie a maximum of 200 soldiers, specified the Minister of Defence, Steven Vandeput. Stay now" to study the practical details with our partners and with the Defense Staff he added, according to Belga. This participation will be part of the “ file of Belgian military operations in 2017 ».

+ The France should send to the next rotation (in 2018) a company (about 150 men) belonging to the Franco-German Brigade, according to our information.

Battalion based in Latvia : framework nation = Canada. About 450 men, according to the Canadian Chief of Staff, General Jonathan Vance.

Battalion based in Estonia : framework nation = United Kingdom. Around 500 men announced Defense Minister Michael Fallon upon his arrival in Warsaw.

+ France : one company (approx. 150 men) in 2017

+ Denmark : a maximum of 200 men, a contribution which must still be approved in Copenhagen. " There should be no doubt that the security of the Eastern allies is of concern to Denmark explained Peter Christensen, Minister of Defence. " We have the greatest solidarity with our Baltic friends, and it is very important that we show NATO cohesion and solidarity ».

Battalion based in Poland : framework nation = United States. About 1000 men announced the US President.

+ United Kingdom : 150 men

Other Contributions

L'Italy promised a company of 150 men

La Norway decided on a contribution of a mechanized company of about 200 soldiers - " or a unit of another weapon of similar size” for a period of six months in 2017, the government announced.

Some countries have not yet confirmed their participation or will do so later

La Turkey should participate in the second rotation, according to a Turkish colleague, but the conditions of this participation are not specified.

L'Spain is waiting for the final government to be formed before announcing its participation. The current president, Mariano Rajoy, was optimistic. " I hope to be able to announce a Spanish contribution soon. »

Le Portugal does not plan to engage on the eastern flank but rather towards the Mediterranean. The European operation EUNAVFOR Med and that of the Alliance “will evolve”. Portugal " will then be ready to participate in meeting the needs underlines the Portuguese Minister of Defence, Azeredo Lopes.

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde in Warsaw, with Leonor Hubaut and Lucas Millet in Brussels)

(1) The United States has two "permanent" units in Europe: one based in Italy (173rd Airborne Brigade), the other in Germany (2nd Cavalry Regiment) according to Stars & Stripes.

(2) This equipment will be prepositioned in several bases in Poland. A memorandum of understanding was signed in 2015 between Poles and Americans: Ciechanów, Choszczno, Drawsko Pomorskie, Łask, Skwierzyna.

(3) Poland will award its anti-missile defense contract to the American Raytheon with Patriots. But that probably has nothing to do with...