NATO To Increase Military Presence in Eastern Europe
Multinational battlegroups will be set up in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria to deter Russia from launching an attack on any of its members.

BRUSSELS â The secretary-general of NATO, Jens Stoltenberg, says the military organization is setting up new multinational battlegroups in eastern Europe to deter Russia from launching an attack on any of its members.
The battlegroups, which usually number between 1,000-1,500 troops, will be set up in Hungary, Slovakia, Romania, and Bulgaria. Mr. Stoltenberg says they will remain in place âas long as necessary.â
Speaking Wednesday on the eve of a summit of NATO leaders, Mr. Stoltenberg said that Russiaâs war on Ukraine means âa new normal for our security and NATO has to respond to that new reality.â
Mr. Stoltenberg says the leaders are likely to agree to send more assistance to Ukraine, including âequipment to help Ukraine protect against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats.â
NATOâs 30 allies are worried about Russian rhetoric and fears that Moscow might want to create a pretext to use chemical weapons in Ukraine.
Mr. Stoltenberg says that âany use of chemical weapons would totally change the nature of the conflict,â and would have âfar-reaching consequencesâ for Russia. He declined to elaborate.