Ukraine conflict: NATO to develop defence and deterrence options across all domains

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a press conference after allied defence ministers met in Brussels on 16 March that they had tasked their military commanders to develop defence and deterrence options for the land, air, sea, cyber, and space domains for approval by a summit of allied leaders at the end of June. (NATO)

NATO defence ministers meeting in Brussels on 16 March, in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have tasked their military commanders with developing defence and deterrence options across all domains for approval by a summit of allied leaders at the end of June.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg told a press conference after the meeting, “On land, our new posture should include substantially more forces in the eastern part of the alliance, at higher readiness, with more prepositioned equipment and supplies; in the air, more allied air power and strengthened integrated air and missile defence; at sea, carrier strike groups, submarines, and significant numbers of combat ships on a persistent basis. We will also consider the future of our cyber defences and how best to draw on allied space assets.”

He added that this would require investments of at least 2% of GDP, as well as more common funding, describing the latter as “the essential enabler that allows us to work together. It is a force multiplier for national defence efforts and it shows solidarity as allies”.