Here, There, Everywhere - Maybe

Jens Stoltenberg

Despite a 1997 agreement with Russia about not stationing a large contingent of NATO soldiers in Eastern Europe countries belonging to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization  the new NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg this week in Warsaw, Poland, said that the western alliance could deploy its forces wherever it wants, apparently calling into question post-Cold War agreements that have been shaken over the Ukraine crisis.

At the NATO summit a month ago, it was agreed to pre-position equipment and supplies in Eastern NATO countries and set up a quick reaction force that could be flown in on a moments notice to confront Russian aggression.

But they rejected appeals from NATO members in Eastern Europe, including Poland, to station thousands of troops there permanently -- partly because of the expense, and partly because they did not want to break an agreement promising Russia it would not permanently station significant combat forces in the east.


However, Stoltenberg appeared to take a tougher line with his comments in Poland.