Russia’s invasion drives NATO rethink of Europe force stance

By LORNE COOK
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — NATO is weighing options for bolstering the alliance’s eastern flank near Ukraine and Russia for the next 5-10 years. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg says that Russia’s “brutal invasion” is set to “have long-lasting consequences for our security.” In talks at NATO headquarters Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and his counterparts tasked military commanders to come up with options. The idea is to set up longer-term defenses in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland, and to help Black Sea region allies like Bulgaria and Romania. It’s meant to deter President Vladimir Putin from ordering a Russian invasion of any of the 30 allies. Putin has demanded that NATO withdraw its forces from the east. The opposite is happening.