NATO strengthens eastern flank with new command structure
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NATO is planning to strengthen defenses in the Baltics by implementing a new command structure that would allow for the rapid deployment of German and Dutch troops to Latvia and Estonia in the event of a conflict with Russia, Reuters reported May 26.
Currently, NATO operations across the Baltic states and northern Poland are overseen by a single multinational headquarters based in Szczecin, Poland. Under the planned changes, the German-Netherlands Corps, based in Muenster, Germany, will be assigned to the defense of Latvia and Estonia, military sources told Reuters.
The change would split responsibilities in the region, with the German-Netherlands Corps taking command of the Latvian and Estonian sector. Military officials said assigning a second corps would improve NATO's ability to rapidly reinforce the region.
Adding another corps would allow NATO to bring in "mass at speed," one military official told Reuters, pointing to the Baltics' geographic vulnerability and proximity to Russia.
Germany and the Netherlands, together with partner countries, will now work to build up the assigned forces, the sources said. An army corps typically consists of 40,000 to 60,000 troops when fully operational.
It was not immediately clear when the decision would take effect or how many troops would ultimately fall under the new command structure in the event of a conflict.
The planned restructuring underscores the strategic importance of the Baltics, particularly amid Russia's ongoing war against Ukraine and heightened tensions across the region.
