Following decisions made at the NATO summit in Vilnius, Allies will keep up to 300,000 troops in a state of high readiness. This is a significant increase from the forces kept on alert as part of the NATO Response Force, which has served as the Alliance’s high-readiness force since 2003.
NATO has also changed the way it conceptualises the defence of Allied territory. New Regional Plans will outline in detail how NATO forces would defend different areas of the Alliance, from specific forces and capabilities to levels of readiness required. Allied forces will then train to be able to execute these plans.
When Russia launched its illegal, full-fledged invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the security landscape on the continent dramatically altered. Ensuring the safety of NATO Allies requires a new framework that provides for rapid response on a larger scale, demonstrating Allied resolve to defend their territory against all aggression.
