NATO weighs military planning shift to prioritise defence against Russia
A draft proposal would end the requirement for allies to prepare forces for a major European war and overseas crisis missions simultaneously, according to Politico.
By Larissa Bell ·
NATO countries are discussing changes to military planning that would put preparations for a potential conflict with Russia ahead of maintaining additional forces for overseas crisis missions. The talks could produce the alliance's most significant planning overhaul in at least 20 years, according to Politico, as reported by European Pravda.
The alliance's 32 members have started negotiations over the troops, weapons and funding they would make available in a conflict. Four NATO diplomats familiar with a draft planning document told Politico that the proposal would remove the expectation that allies maintain enough forces to fight a major war in Europe while also carrying out smaller crisis-management operations. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity.
The central question is whether NATO should retain its longstanding requirement to prepare for both types of operation simultaneously. The draft would instead allow allies to plan for either a major European conflict or crisis-management missions outside alliance territory. Diplomats said the current wording favours that approach, but cautioned that negotiations remain at a very early stage.
Camille Grand, a former NATO assistant secretary general for defence investment, said the proposal reflected an understanding that a major emergency in Europe would take precedence over other priorities. The discussions also accompany an initiative Washington calls "NATO 3.0", through which the United States is pressing the alliance to concentrate on its core task of defending Europe.
Negotiators are working on a document called Political Guidance, part of a four-year planning process that is due to result in approval of new military capability requirements by 2029. Allies are expected to reach agreement on the guidance by February. Their decisions will help determine the equipment available to the alliance and the credibility of its deterrence against Moscow.
The negotiations come as European officials have repeatedly warned that Russia could invade NATO territory by 2029. Increasing pressure on defence budgets is also likely to make agreement more difficult, as members consider whether to retain a requirement that has shaped their force planning for at least two decades.
A senior NATO official told Politico that the proposal did not mean abandoning the ability to respond to crises. Decisions about where troops are deployed would remain political, the official said. Any planning change would not automatically alter existing overseas operations, including NATO's missions in Kosovo and Iraq.
The debate is taking place while the United States reviews its military presence in Europe. Media reports have suggested that Washington could withdraw about a third of its troops from the continent, or potentially more.
