10 of NATO member countries, including Germany and the US will hold military exercises in Latvia on the Russian border – the publication Daily Express reported on Monday.
From 17 to April 30, the militaries of Germany, Canada, Estonia, the United States and other countries will arrive in Latvia for joint exercises with the armed forces of the host country. Latvia joined NATO in 2004 and since then has offered its territory to its allies as a training ground.
After joint U.S.-Polish exercises in Poland, some of the M1A2 Abrams battle tanks will be transported to the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania – reported the Wall Street Journal on Monday.
NATO’s move is mainly considered to be focused on enhancing its presence in the alliance’s countries as a deterrent against Russia.
“Know that our commitment to defense is rock-solid and [that] we must maintain the territorial integrity of our alliance and maintain a Europe that is whole, free, prosperous and at peace,” said Lt. Gen. Tim Ray, the deputy head of U.S. European Command.
