According to NATO?s top military officer, the upcoming NATO summit should send a clear message to all the states that are members that their first line of defense should be from their own countries and they will be responsible for it.
Gen. Petr Pavel, who is the chairman of NATO?s Military Committee, has asserted that the 28-member alliance of NATO can easily cope up with the challenges presented by Russia, however the first forces to retaliate or respond to a crisis should be from the affected nations.
Pavel added, ?Defense in line with the NATO treaty starts with the countries. Article 3 is talking about the need for every country to do anything the country is possible to provide for its own defense.?
?If there is crisis … it will always be the nation who is affected to act as the first,? Pavel told The Associated Press.
Note that NATO?s multinational forces will be placed to provide retaliation but as a secondary option, ?will be placed to provide much shorter reaction time, but national forces will always be the first who should respond,? Pavel added.
According to Pavel, the summit should send a clear message to European members that they should ?demonstrate greater responsibility for their own security and defense? and should work upon the fact that they do not spend as much on defense as US does.
While talking about the Russian aggression, Pavel was of the view, ?I believe NATO will prevail. We are 28 and if we stay 28 and we stay committed to common values and common interests I believe that there is no force.?