NATO Alliance is ready for conflict with Russia – NATO Military Committee Chair

Admiral Rob Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee, has said that the Alliance countries are prepared for a potential direct clash with Russia.

Admiral Bauer stated in an interview with ArmyInform that NATO acknowledged a change in the security situation in 2014, following Russia's occupation of Crimea. In 2019, the Allies began to return to collective security by changing their defence strategy, operational planning, and the forces required to carry out all of these missions.

"We are all aware that time is of the essence when it comes to reestablishing collective security. Because the enemy determines when and where to attack you, as well as the length of the conflict. Unfortunately, Ukraine has experienced this.

Are we ready? Answer: Yes! Our primary task is to be prepared. If this happens today, you must fight with what you have. It is always a combination of being ready for today and improving opportunities for the future," said Rob Bauer.

When asked about NATO's readiness on its eastern flank, where the most potential threats exist, he recalled how the Alliance has increased its presence in the Baltic states since 2016, as well as in Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria since the outbreak of the full-scale war in Ukraine. 

"We now have eight such combat groups, each with a battalion, and they can be combined to form a brigade if necessary. The relevant countries are constantly collaborating on this mechanism. We will consider additional requirements. But so far, this is sufficient," Bauer said.

He went on to say that modern warfare has additional dimensions, such as cyberspace or space attacks, and that Russia can wield power in the Arctic, the West Atlantic Ocean, Africa, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea.

"It would be foolish to focus solely on the eastern flank, because the Russians are not just there. They are everywhere. That is why NATO constantly monitors their actions and responds appropriately if necessary," added Rob Bauer.

He also stated that he was not concerned about the prospect of increased threats from Russia following Vladimir Putin's "re-election" because the war in Ukraine weakened Russia, and the replenishment and modernisation of its troops will be complicated by Western sanctions.

"We can see that Russia has the capacity to produce large quantities of weapons, but their quality has been steadily declining since the start of the war. They have plans, but they are at war, so they will need plenty of time. It will not be easy for them," the admiral said.

Rob Bauer also commented on the potential military deployment of any NATO country in Ukraine, stating that such decisions affect the interests of all allies and thus require consultations among them.

In addition, Bauer cautioned against excessive pessimism about Ukraine's ability to win the war and urged the world to further support Kyiv.