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 is successful in taking over Ukraine and maintaining bases in Belarus, its forces will stretch from the Baltics and Poland to Slovakia, Hungary, and northern Romania, making it challenging for NATO to defend its eastern flank. The proximity of Russian forces in Belarus to Kaliningrad, a territory on the Baltic Sea with missiles capable of reaching Europe, poses a significant risk for NATO. The level of risk for NATO has greatly increased, according to experts, 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, according to foreign policy experts. Russia wants to eliminate Ukraine as an independent country in Europe. NATO is responding by sending more troops and aircraft to member states near Russia. There are talks of increasing deployments and possibly cancelling the 1997 NATO-Russia Founding Act. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that Russia's actions are a serious threat to Euro-Atlantic security and additional defensive forces are being deployed. Discussions about Europe's security are now more complex with Russian troops on NATO's eastern flank. Even if there is a significant increase in military spending in response to the recent Russian invasion, similar to the modest increase seen after Russia took Crimea, the permanent deployment of forces, equipment, planes, and missiles will have a significant impact on the peace, prosperity, and complacency that has been enjoyed by the alliance for the past 30 years. NATO had been focusing on other important issues such as climate and cyber, neglecting its core responsibility, but it is now realizing the importance of being prepared for ruthless adversaries who view foreign policy as a blood sport. With NATO already revising its strategic concept and discussing a replacement for Stoltenberg, the urgency to reassess its purpose has become even more apparent. 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. Moving troops and equipment around in post-Cold War Europe has become more challenging due to some bridges and railways being unable to handle heavy armor. Hodges mentioned that political leaders will be surprised by how long it takes to move items due to EU road regulations and the lack of special priority on the German rail system. NATO also lacks significant air and missile defenses for modern air warfare that targets critical infrastructure like airports, roads, and rail. Hodges noted 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. The Fulda Gap in Germany, once a concern for Cold War strategists, was heavily defended by US troops to prevent the Warsaw Pact from quickly moving tanks from East Germany to the Rhine River. The current issue at hand is the Suwalki Corridor, a narrow passage connecting Poland to Lithuania. If this corridor is taken, it would result in the three Baltic nations being cut off from the rest of NATO. The corridor serves as a border between Belarus and Kaliningrad, the headquarters of the Russian Baltic Fleet. There are concerns that an empowered Putin may demand direct access from Belarus to Kaliningrad. This could be part of a new Russian strategy to separate the Baltics from NATO and show that the alliance cannot protect these countries. The threat to Poland is now significant, and it is recommended that the United States deploy two heavy battalions to Poland as a first step. Additionally, there is a need to strengthen the deployments in the Baltic states. In 2016, NATO made the decision to station battalions in Poland and the Baltic nations for the first time, called an "enhanced forward presence." These battalions have around 1,100 soldiers each and are combat-ready, but relatively small and more symbolic than a substantial deterrent against a Russian advance. Additionally, in 2014, NATO created a "very high readiness joint task force" led by Turkey, designed to respond quickly to threats to NATO sovereignty. This task force includes a land brigade of approximately 5,000 troops, backed by air, sea, and special forces, with additional reinforcements that can be deployed within 30 days. However, the effectiveness of this smaller force is unproven, and the larger Response Force it is part of is significantly smaller than the Russian invasion force in Ukraine. The larger force, established in 2002 for rapid deployment, consists of 40,000 members based in their home countries, making coordination difficult. There are concerns about NATO members fulfilling their promise to send weapons to Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Supplying arms by air, rail, or road may be intercepted by the Russian military, even if delivered by contractors. The risk of accidental confrontations and escalation in the tense atmosphere cannot be ignored. Analysts are pointing to the incident in 2015 when Turkey shot down a Russian fighter plane near the Syria-Turkey border as a potential catalyst for escalation. The arms control agreements that helped keep the Cold War cold are now mostly defunct, which raises concerns about the deployment of conventional forces and medium-range missiles. Russia's involvement in cyberwarfare, including hacking the German Parliament and interfering in elections, as well as spreading disinformation on social media in various languages, has also heightened security threats. These new threats emphasize the need for stronger cooperation between the European Union and NATO on defense, according to Lesser. By coordinating with the EU on areas like economic sanctions, cyber resilience, energy security, and information warfare, both organizations can benefit, especially since many EU members are also part of NATO. Bond expressed the importance of maintaining a relationship with the Americans while also emphasizing the need for European autonomy and self-reliance. In Europe, there is uncertainty about whether President Joe Biden will run and win again in 2024, leading to concerns about the possibility of former President Donald Trump or a Republican with similar isolationist views taking office. Bond stressed the importance of Europe increasing military spending and efficiency to address real capability needs, as this has become crucial rather than just a theoretical concept.