New NATO Defense Plans to Be Implemented by Year-End

NATO defense ministers have agreed during a meeting in Vilnius that the alliance's newly established regional defense plans must be implemented by the end of the year, according to Lithuania's Ministry of Defense.

"Ministers have agreed to work together to ensure the defense plans are executed by year-end," stated the ministry's press release.

On Tuesday, July 10, during the NATO summit in Vilnius, the meeting of defense ministers discussed the implementation of decisions made by the heads of state.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg declared the strongest enhancement of the alliance's defense capabilities since the Cold War.

"Allies have approved the most valuable defense plan since the Cold War to confront two main threats: Russia and terrorism," he said at a press conference in Vilnius.

According to him, "in line with the new plans, 300,000 troops will be on high readiness status." The NATO Secretary General also informed that the leaders of NATO states and governments in Vilnius have "committed to investing at least 2 percent of GDP annually for defense purposes."