Germany, the Netherlands and Poland have agreed to accelerate the deployment of troops and weapons to NATO’s eastern flank in the event of a conflict with Russia.
The three NATO members signed a letter of intent for closer cooperation on Tuesday to establish a condition that supports swift military maneuver across Europe.
The deal would enable the United States and NATO members to send military forces through the North Sea ports across Germany and Poland and en route to the eastern front, according to Reuters.
At a European Union event in Brussels, Dutch Defence Minister Kajsa Ollongren said the collaboration would ensure that military deployments could rapidly advance “from the Netherlands through Germany to Poland.”
The EU described the three-nation defense cooperation as military mobility, adding that the project could still accommodate new participants, Reuters said.
The effort seeks to address a concern voiced by the alliance in late 2023, warning that red tape could hamper troop movements across Europe.
According to Lt. Gen. Alexander Sollfrank, the chief of logistics command at NATO, the organization would not be ready for a war if no preparations were made in peacetime.
“We are running out of time,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, Dmitry Peskov, press secretary of the Russian Federation, confirmed that his government views NATO as a threat, adding that the Kremlin will likely respond to the alliance’s recent actions.
Peskov made the comment when asked about Moscow’s reaction to NATO’s large-scale Steadfast Defender 2024 joint military exercise involving 31 allied countries and Sweden.