Former NATO military leader states the alliance cannot function without US involvement in current security landscape.
Eastern Europe’s Evolving Shield Role
Central and Eastern European countries served as an advanced shield, with the rest of the Alliance tasked with supporting them through military presence and political declarations. This model – as Admiral Rob Bauer demonstrates – belongs to the past.
Warsaw Summit and Enhanced Forward Presence
A turning point was the NATO summit in Warsaw in 2016, when in response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the Enhanced Forward Presence initiative was launched. It focused on the Baltic states and Poland, where other NATO countries deployed their troops.
Provisional Deterrent Structure
This was a significant deterrent signal, but provisional, as it was mainly based on bilateral agreements and lacked a unified command system.
Post-Invasion NATO Realignment
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine brutally verified these assumptions. NATO not only increased the number of troops on the eastern flank but also significantly expanded their deployment.
Current Troop Deployments
In Slovakia, Spanish forces play the main role, in Romania – French forces, in Bulgaria – Italian forces, Americans are in Poland, and British, German, and Canadian troops are in the Baltic states.