Russia has expanded its military presence to the borders of NATO countries, including the Baltic nations, after invading Ukraine and deploying troops in Belarus. If Russia successfully takes over Ukraine and maintains bases in Belarus, it will be much more difficult for NATO to defend its eastern flank, with Russian forces stretching from the Baltics to Slovakia, Hungary, and northern Romania. The proximity of Russian forces in Belarus to Kaliningrad, a Russian territory with missile capabilities, poses a significant threat to Europe. The risk for NATO has increased, and the possibility of conflict with Russian forces in various regions will be a concern for years to come. This development has major implications for NATO, as stated by experts. Russia's goal is to eliminate Ukraine as an independent nation in Europe, which has prompted concerns about the need to take the situation seriously. NATO has responded by sending more troops and aircraft to member states near Russia, with plans for further deployments. There are talks about potentially scrapping the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act due to Russia's past violation of it during the invasion of Ukraine and annexation of Crimea. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg has warned that Russia's actions pose a significant threat to Euro-Atlantic security and will have far-reaching consequences. Additional defensive forces and assets are being deployed to the eastern part of the alliance in response. Discussions about redefining Europe's security architecture take on a new significance with Russian troops stationed on NATO's eastern border. Even if there is a significant increase in military spending in response to the recent Russian invasion, similar to the modest increase after Russia's annexation of Crimea, the establishment of new and permanent military deployments of forces, equipment, planes, and missiles will have a significant impact on the peace, prosperity, and complacency that the alliance has enjoyed for the past three decades. According to Lesser, NATO had been preoccupied with issues such as climate and cyber, neglecting the fact that there are ruthless individuals who view foreign policy as a brutal competition. With NATO already revising its strategic concept and discussing a replacement for Stoltenberg, who steps down on Oct 1, these tasks have become even more urgent. Lesser believes that NATO is now considering its purpose more broadly. Benjamin Hodges, a former commander of US forces in Europe who is now with the Centre for European Policy Analysis, stated that deterring a newly aggressive Russia will not be easy. He explained that moving troops and equipment around in post-Cold War Europe has become more difficult due to some bridges and railways being unable to handle heavy armour. Hodges also noted that political leaders may be surprised at how long it takes to move equipment given EU road regulations and the lack of special priority on the German rail system. Additionally, Hodges pointed out that NATO lacks significant air and missile defenses for modern air wars that target important infrastructure like airports, roads, and rail, as seen in Ukraine. He mentioned that protecting the US air base at Ramstein in Germany would require an entire battalion of Patriot missiles, but there is only one Patriot battalion in Europe. Hodges also mentioned how the Fulda Gap in Germany, once a concern for Cold War strategists, was heavily defended by US troops to prevent the Warsaw Pact from advancing tanks from East Germany to the Rhine River. The current concern is the Suwalki Corridor, a narrow passage that links Poland to Lithuania and is crucial for NATO as capturing it would isolate the Baltic nations. This corridor separates Belarus from Kaliningrad, the base of the Russian Baltic Fleet, and Robert Kagan of the Brookings Institution suggested that Putin may seek direct access from Belarus to Kaliningrad. This is just one part of a potential new Russian strategy to disconnect the Baltics from NATO and show that the alliance cannot protect them. The threat to Poland is now significant, and Bond recommended that the United States deploy two heavy battalions to Poland as a first step. Furthermore, he emphasized the need to strengthen deployments in the Baltic states. In 2016, NATO decided to station battalions in Poland and the Baltic nations for the first time as part of an "enhanced forward presence" plan. Each battalion consists of around 1,100 combat-ready soldiers, serving as tripwires rather than a significant obstacle to a potential Russian advance. Additionally, in 2014, NATO established a "very high readiness joint task force" led by Turkey, with a land brigade of approximately 5,000 troops supported by air, sea, and special forces, capable of deploying quickly in response to threats against NATO. However, the effectiveness of this smaller force remains unproven, and the larger Response Force it belongs to is significantly smaller than the Russian invasion force in Ukraine. The larger force, established in 2002 for rapid deployment, consists of 40,000 members who are based in their home countries, making mobilization a slow process. There are concerns about NATO members fulfilling their promise to provide weapons to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia, as well as doubts about the feasibility of delivering arms due to potential interception by the Russian military. Supporting an insurgency against Russia would be risky given the proximity of the Russian military. Accidental confrontations leading to escalation are a possibility in this tense environment. Analysts are highlighting the incident in 2015 when Turkey shot down a Russian fighter plane near the Syria-Turkey border as a potential escalation point. With arms control agreements from the Cold War era mostly defunct, there are new concerns about the deployment of conventional forces and medium-range missiles. Russia's active involvement in cyberwarfare, including hacking the German Parliament and interfering in elections, adds to the threats. Strengthening cooperation between the European Union and NATO on defense is seen as crucial in addressing these new challenges, with a focus on areas such as economic sanctions, cyber resilience, energy security, and information warfare. This collaboration can benefit both organizations, especially since the majority of EU members are also part of NATO. Bond emphasized the importance of American support while also stressing the need for European autonomy and self-reliance. There are concerns in Europe about the future political landscape in the United States and the potential impact on European security. Bond urged for increased military spending and efficiency to address real capability needs, emphasizing the urgency of these measures.