NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg held a press conference at lunchtime on Thursday on the occasion of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
- This is a deliberate, cold-blooded and long-planned invasion, says Stoltenberg.
"A new Europe"
He goes on to state that we are now facing war in Europe "on a scale and of a type that we thought belonged to history".
- It will be a new Europe after what happened today.
- We continue to stand together and condemn Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
We will defend every ally and every millimeter of NATO territory.
The NATO defense alliance has now activated its defense plans to ensure that no member state is attacked or involved in the conflict in any way.
The operation gives NATO military commanders greater powers to act, including when it comes to moving forces, reports Reuters.
- This means that the decision-making has been delegated to the military commanders, in accordance with the plan that has been established previously, says Katarina Engberg, security policy analyst and senior adviser at the Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies, Sieps.
Will not enter the military
More troops are now being sent to NATO's eastern flank, which stretches from southern Bulgaria to northern Estonia.
But Jens Stoltenberg repeats at the press conference what NATO has previously communicated, that it will not enter Ukraine militarily.
- In the coming days and weeks, there will be even more (soldiers), says Stoltenberg.
- We must respond with renewed determination and even stronger unity.
On Friday, a virtual summit will also be held to discuss the situation further.