NATO soldiers at the Eastern flank. X/ @TowerPostNews
September 12, 2025 Hour: 1:57 pm
The Alliance cites Russian drone incursions as trigger for its new defense initiative.
On Friday, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced a new military initiative called “Eastern Sentinel,” aimed at strengthening the alliance’s eastern flank, reports 24brussels.
During a news conference in Belgium, Rutte justified this action by referencing a reported Russian drone incursion into Polish airspace earlier in the week. Set to commence shortly, the Eastern Sentinel initiative will deploy forces from several NATO countries, including Denmark, France, the United Kingdom, and Germany.
“In addition to more traditional military capabilities, this effort will also include elements designed to address the particular challenges associated with the use of drones,” the NATO Secretary stated.
He emphasized that Eastern Sentinel aims to enhance flexibility and strength within NATO’s defense posture. “As a defensive alliance, we are always prepared to defend,” Rutte asserted.
NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, stated that Eastern Sentinel would be “flexible and agile,” providing dedicated deterrence and defense capabilities tailored to specific threats. He outlined that the initiative would integrate air and ground defenses and enhance information-sharing among member nations.
“The previous way we organized on the eastern flank consisted of individual air policing actions in different locations, and we also had individual ground-based air defenses in several locations. And of course, we worked with nations on a case-by-case basis as threats were detected,” Grynkewich explained.
Eastern Sentinel will offer a comprehensive, integrated defense approach stretching from the Arctic to the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, addressing potential threats from Russia. “With additional resources, we will be able to cover gaps, concentrate forces where we need to defend against a particular threat, and we will have much better communication along the entire eastern flank,” he added.
In response to Wednesday’s drone incident, Rutte remarked that it marked “the largest concentration of NATO airspace violations we have ever seen,” adding that such breaches are not isolated. He expressed concern about Russia’s increased aerial recklessness along NATO’s eastern flank, noting previous drone violations in Romania, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
“Whether intentional or not, it is dangerous and unacceptable,” Rutte emphasized. He reiterated NATO’s commitment to defend its territory through the Eastern Sentinel initiative and expressed satisfaction with the U.S. response to the Polish airspace violation.
General Grynkewich remarked that the interception of Russian drones by the Netherlands and other allies on Wednesday was “a highly successful operation,” enhancing confidence in NATO’s operational readiness.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE
