NATO Weighs Overseas Force Cuts to Focus on Russia

NATO allies are considering reducing the forces they must prepare for overseas crisis missions to prioritize defending Europe against Russia, Politico reported on Wednesday, Nov. 11.The proposal would end a requirement to sustain a major European war and several smaller overseas operations simultaneously, Politico reported, citing 4 NATO diplomats.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official.Instead, members would plan for either scenario. Existing missions in Kosovo and Iraq would not automatically change.Discussions remain preliminary. Allies aim to settle political guidance by February 2027, ahead of new capability targets in 2029.Planning decisions shape national military requirementsThe political guidance under discussion helps determine what forces and weapons NATO members need to provide.NATO’s defense planning process operates through a four-year cycle. Political guidance establishes the number, scale and types of operations the alliance should be capable of conducting, alongside priorities and timelines for developing the necessary capabilities.Military requirements are then identified and translated into capability targets for individual allies. These decisions help steer national investment in equipment, personnel and readiness.NATO already identifies Russia as “the most significant and direct threat to Allies’ security,” according to its public defense policy.The alliance has strengthened its eastern flank since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, expanding its forward presence to nine multinational battlegroups and developing regional defense plans with forces assigned to protect specific allies. Other Topics of Interest Ukraine Rejects US Plan to Redraw Donbas Borders to Give Putin Symbolic Victory Under the proposed arrangement, Moscow could declare that it had achieved its goal of taking the entire Donbas, even though Ukrainian forces would retain control of cities that Russian troops have failed to capture. Defense plans include strikes deep inside RussiaThe reported review follows work on plans for strikes deep inside Russia if Moscow attacks NATO territory.The approach, developed under Supreme Allied Commander Europe Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, draws on lessons from Ukraine: Defeating an invasion requires disrupting the military system sustaining it, alongside stopping advancing troops.Potential targets include military bases, supply networks and industrial facilities supporting Russian operations. The plans envisage strikes from roughly 150 kilometers (93 miles) behind the front line to much greater distances.NATO forces would first seek to halt an initial attack, then undermine Russia’s ability to sustain further operations.European countries are also seeking to expand stocks of precision weapons while developing cheaper long-range systems, including cruise missiles and drones.However, military planning does not guarantee political authorization. Analysts cited in the report questioned whether European leaders would approve the operations commanders consider necessary to defeat an attack.Allies prepare faster reinforcements for the Baltic statesNATO has also been preparing to reinforce the Baltic states more quickly during a potential conflict with Russia.Plans reported in May envisaged assigning an additional army corps to defend Latvia and Estonia, supplementing a corps headquartered in Poland.The German-Dutch corps based in Münster would help provide the command structure for a larger response. A corps typically comprises around 40,000-60,000 troops, although that figure describes the formation’s potential size, rather than a confirmed deployment.The preparations address a central vulnerability: The Baltic states have limited strategic depth, leaving little room to absorb an attack before reinforcements arrive.European troops rehearse a separate Ukraine missionEuropean governments are also testing plans for a potential deployment to Ukraine after hostilities end.Britain and France are leading approximately 2,800 personnel from 11 countries in Exercise Koalicja, with the main drill scheduled for Nov. 9-22 in southeastern Poland.Participants are rehearsing moving troops and equipment across borders, operating under a shared command, protecting deployed units and maintaining supplies.The multinational force is separate from NATO and could deploy only after fighting stops and Ukraine requests its assistance.Its intended role includes training Ukrainian troops and helping rebuild military capabilities. Offensive operations and ceasefire monitoring fall outside its planned mission. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization, reporting since 1995. Its international reach – 90% of readers are outside of Ukraine – make it truly Ukraine’s global voice.