NATO countries will continue to strengthen the Alliance's eastern flank, launched after the start of Russia's special operation in Ukraine, Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin said at a press conference on Thursday.
"Our allies resorted to the NATO defense plan, activating the alliance's defense capabilities, deploying tens of thousands of troops on the eastern flank of the Alliance", he said at a press conference on the results of the Alliance's Defence ministers talks in Brussels.
According to Austin, after the start of the Russian special operation, NATO countries "had to take actions that everyone hoped would never be needed."
The head of the Pentagon added that NATO is developing a long-term plan to strengthen defense capabilities on the eastern flank.
