The Steadfast Defender 2024 exercises, aimed at implementing the new Defense plans agreed upon last year amid Russia’s threats due to its military invasion of Ukraine, are set to begin next week. They will extend over several months, involving significant troop and military equipment movements from North America to Europe.
This was announced by NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander in Europe (SACEUR), U.S. General Christopher Cavoli. He highlighted that these major maneuvers will demonstrate NATO’s ability to reinforce the Euro-Atlantic area by transatlantic troop movements from North America.
“This reinforcement will occur during a simulated scenario of emerging conflict against an adversary with similar capabilities,” explained Cavoli during a press conference in Brussels after the NATO Military Committee meeting.
The military organization considers these maneuvers a “clear demonstration” of Atlantic unity, strength, and determination, rooted in the mutual defense enshrined in Article 5 of the NATO treaty.
These large-scale exercises coincide with NATO’s 75th anniversary. A summit of leaders will be held in Washington next July, marking another sign of Western unity against Russia in response to its military invasion of Ukraine. Additionally, the United Kingdom announced earlier this week that it would deploy 20,000 troops across Eastern Europe for these exercises, NATO’s largest since the Cold War, occurring from February to June.
