NATO is considering establishing a 'military Schengen' zone to counter Russia.

Lieutenant General Alexander Sollfrank, head of the Joint Stabilization Support Command (JSEC) of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), called on European countries to establish a “ military Schengen area” to allow the rapid movement of troops, equipment, and ammunition in the event of a conflict with Russia.

"We are running out of time. What we cannot accomplish in peacetime will not be ready in the event of a crisis or war," said Alexander Sollfrank.

British and American soldiers stand next to the NATO flag. (Photo: Sputnik)

Alexander Sollfrank is in charge of NATO's troop and equipment rotation across the European continent. According to him, although JSEC was established to be ready for a potential war with Russia, the unit's work is still hampered by national regulations.

Under current regulations, transporting ammunition to the European border typically requires a special permit, while transporting large quantities of troops or equipment may require prior notification.

Alexander Sollfrank argues that a "military Schengen" zone needs to be established to address these issues, similar to the Schengen agreement that allows free movement between most European Union (EU) countries.

NATO currently has 10,000 troops in eight combat groups stationed across Eastern Europe. In a 2022 statement, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg set a goal of supporting these forward-deployed forces with 300,000 highly ready reserve troops.

According to the plan announced by Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, 100,000 of these troops will be able to reach the battlefield within a week, while the rest will arrive a month later.

Although Russia has repeatedly warned that NATO has effectively become an accomplice in the conflict in Ukraine by providing Kyiv with weapons, training, and intelligence, Moscow has stated that it does not desire a direct military confrontation with NATO.

However, Alexander Sollfrank argued that NATO must prepare itself for such a conflict. He said, "We need to get ahead, we need to be well prepared before Article 5 of the NATO Treaty is triggered."

Kong Anh (Source: RT)

Source: https://vtc.vn/nato-tinh-lap-khu-vuc-schengen-quan-su-doi-pho-nga-ar836330.html