China News Network, March 3 According to a report by the US Political News Network (Politico) on the 19th, in order to prevent the spillover of the Ukrainian crisis, NATO is considering sending 19,30 troops to the eastern border area close to Russia. But such coordination can be challenging, as many allies already worry that their ammunition stocks are running low and will need time and money to replenish.

Image source: Screenshot of the Politico report

NATO military leaders are preparing to submit updated regional defense plans. NATO officials have floated the idea of deploying up to 30,<> troops in areas close to Russia's border. "I think we need troops to counter a strong Russia," a senior NATO military official said, stressing the need for "more troops," especially more "ready" troops.

Retired Lieutenant General Heinrich Brauss, a former senior NATO official, said the first echelon, consisting of about 10,10 soldiers, is ready to be deployed within <> days, including military forces from Poland, Norway, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

Subsequently, the troops of the second echelon are deployed as support forces, ready to be formed in countries such as Germany within 10 to 30 days.

To realize its eastern flank plan, NATO will face the daunting task of persuading countries on the continent to provide everything, including a large number of expensive weapons, equipment, ammunition, soldiers and training.

The militaries of NATO allies need to increase recruitment, expand defense spending, and accelerate "more acquisitions of weapons, ammunition and equipment."

"It's all very challenging," Gen. Ben Hodges, a former U.S. Army commander in Europe, said soldiers need a lot of training ranges and ammunition. "It obviously takes time and costs a lot."

But NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg recently stressed that the current rate of ammunition consumption in Ukraine is many times higher than the rate of production in NATO-related countries, which puts pressure on the defense industry. The waiting time for large-calibre ammunition has been increased from 12 to 28 months.

Once NATO is ready to realize its new military plans, its allies will have to provide more readily available troops, aircraft, ships and tanks. It remains to be seen whether NATO allies are ready for the challenge. Leaders of NATO's 30 member states will hold a summit in Vilnius, Lithuania, on July 7-11 to discuss the summit.