NATO wants to double the number of its combat units in the east of the alliance area from four to eight.

They are to be stationed in Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary, as NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg announced on Wednesday.

"That means we will have eight multinational NATO battlegroups all along the eastern flank," he said.

The heads of state and government of the thirty member states are to decide this at their meeting this Thursday as a "first step" towards an even more extensive increase in troops, which is to take place in the medium term.

At the same time, Stoltenberg signaled his basic willingness to remain in office beyond the end of the contract, which was previously planned at the end of September.

Thomas Gutschker

Political correspondent for the European Union, NATO and the Benelux countries based in Brussels.

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In mid-February, the alliance's defense ministers commissioned the expansion of the battlegroups, which have existed in the north-east since 2017, to the south-east, without giving a specific date.

After the Russian invasion of Ukraine, these plans were accelerated.

However, political considerations had to be taken into account, a senior NATO military official admitted on Wednesday.

Hungary and Bulgaria will not only lead the battlegroups in their own countries, but will also provide the bulk of the forces there.

These are only subordinated to the NATO command.

The Hungarian government does not want a larger presence of the alliance on its territory, in Bulgaria this is a matter of domestic political controversy.

Hungary and Bulgaria want special rules

On the other hand, the original concept provided that the host country itself was not involved at all and that the units were made up of 1,000 to 1,500 soldiers on a multinational basis.

This is only likely to be realized in Romania (leading with France) and Slovakia (leading with the Czech Republic).

The Bundeswehr is participating in the Battlegroup in Slovakia with the Patriot missile defense system.

In the medium term, the alliance intends an even larger and permanent military presence in the East.

According to FAZ information, it could be extended to up to eight brigades.

Stoltenberg also announced further allied support for Ukraine on Tuesday.

These include equipment to protect against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats, as well as cybersecurity assistance.

He again warned Russia against an attack with chemical weapons.

This will have “far-reaching consequences”, which he did not specify.

He also called on Moscow to end "nuclear saber-rattling."

"A nuclear war can never be won and should never be fought," he said.

At the same time, he made it clear that NATO did not want to be drawn into a war with Russia and would not send any soldiers to Ukraine.

When asked if he could imagine staying in office longer, Stoltenberg replied that his focus was on preparing for the summit.

He leaves it to the allies to "decide about other things".

In December, Stoltenberg announced his candidacy for the post of head of the Norwegian central bank, and he was officially appointed to the post in January.

The inauguration should take place in December of this year.

However, since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a debate has arisen within the Alliance about whether it is wise to fill the post of secretary-general in such a situation.

About Stoltenberg, who has been in office for eight years, it is said internally that he is open to a contract extension.