NATO started its largest military exercise since the end of the cold war. Starting today, 50 thousand soldiers, 10 thousand military vehicles, 250 aircraft, 65 battleships are participating.
Starting in Norway and running until November 7, Finland and Sweden have also participated, apart from NATO's 29 member countries.
"This is an important day because Trident Juncture is NATO's biggest exercise since the end of the Cold War," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said ahead of the drills. The exercise "is a strong display of our capabilities and our resolve to work together," he added.
The exercise coincided with the period when the US decided to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty.
"Trident Juncture sends a clear message to our nations and to any potential adversary: NATO does not seek confrontation, but we stand ready to defend all allies against any threat," Stoltenberg said during a press conference.
Without mentioning Russia by name, he said that "Europe's security environment has significantly deteriorated in recent years and that NATO has responded with the biggest adaptation of our collective defense since the end of the Cold War. Trident Juncture demonstrates that adaptation."
As it is remembering, Russia, China, and Mongolia carried out the biggest military drill in recent days with 300 thousand people called Vostok.
ILKHA