Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the new center, German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said the German-led Baltic task force would be ready to lead naval operations in times of peace, crisis and war.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius speaks at a military base in Todendorf, Germany, on September 4, 2024.
“The importance of this area becomes even more evident in the context of Russia’s continued provocations in our neighbourhood,” Mr Pistorius said.
"In Germany and Europe, we see Russian aggression manifesting itself in many different ways, such as cyber and hybrid threats, which continue to blur the line between peace and war," Mr Pistorius stressed.
"This is why we must ensure that [Russian President Vladimir Putin] does not get what he wants. We must defend ourselves and do everything we can to support our partners on NATO's eastern flank," Mr Pistorius said.
Russia did not immediately comment on the statement.
According to AFP, the new center in the port city of Rostock (Germany) will be led by a German admiral and staffed by 11 other NATO countries. The center will have 180 employees including representatives from the UK, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland and Sweden.
According to German officials, the purpose of this campaign is to coordinate naval activities in the region, while providing NATO with a real picture of the maritime situation in the Baltic Sea.
On October 14, the director of Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency, Bruno Kahl, said that Russia is likely to launch an attack on NATO by 2030. "Whether we like it or not, we are in direct confrontation with Russia," Mr. Kahl said.
In June, Russian President Vladimir Putin dismissed as absurd allegations that Moscow wanted to attack NATO, denying that it harbored any “imperial ambitions.”
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/duc-mo-trung-tam-chi-huy-hai-quan-nato-tren-bien-baltic-185241021200616756.htm
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