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NATO increases Baltic presence as Norway approves US marines at Vaernes base

25 October 2016 21:29 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. As Norway prepares to allow foreign troops on its soil for the first time since World War II, NATO will also meet in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss plans to boost its military presence along the eastern flank, APA reports quoting Sputnik.

"This is credible deterrence," NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday, according to Stars and Stripes.

"Concrete proof that NATO can and will deploy thousands of forces to support our allies. And a clear demonstration of our transatlantic bond."

NATO defense ministers will address the plan to keep rotational forces in the Baltics and Poland as part of an effort to deter "Russian aggression." This comes as Norway has agreed to allow 330 US Marines to be deployed to Vaernes military base, roughly 600 miles from the Norwegian-Russian border. "The United States is our most important ally and we have a near bilateral relationship that we wish to develop. The defense of Norway is dependent on allied reinforcement and it is crucial for Norwegian security that our allies get the knowledge required to operate in Norway, together with Norwegian forces," Defense Minister Ine Eriksen