NATO has 500 thousand troops on "high alert", Stoltenberg said

NATO countries are increasing their military capabilities; the alliance currently has about 500 thousand military personnel at a high level of readiness, Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said following a meeting of the heads of the Ministry of Defense in Brussels.

 “We are currently increasing the readiness of NATO forces. 500 thousand NATO troops in different structures are in a state of high readiness, this is significantly more than was agreed at the summit in Madrid. They can be deployed within a few days in any necessary direction,” - he said.

According to the Secretary General, the countries of the bloc also plan to strengthen their collective defense with air defense systems, as well as the latest generation fighters, in the next five years.