NATO Establishes German-Dutch Corps to "Strengthen Baltic Defense"

According to a report by Reference News Network on May 31, Reuters reported on May 28 that Germany and the Netherlands announced on the 28th that NATO will strengthen its eastern flank defense: in the event of war with Russia, the German-Dutch Corps will take over the command of NATO allied forces in Estonia and Latvia.

The report states that currently, NATO forces in the three Baltic states and northern Poland are unified under a multinational command. The establishment of a second command area will allow NATO to deploy more troops to the Baltic states.

NATO stated that if Russia continues to expand its military capabilities, it could launch a large-scale attack on allied territories as early as 2029; the Kremlin denied this.

The adjustments announced on the 28th highlight that the strategic importance of the Baltic region has significantly increased since the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius stated, “Incorporating the German-Dutch Corps into NATO defense planning means that both countries will take on greater responsibility for European security.” He added that the corps has 16 participating countries.

Following U.S. President Trump's criticism that Europe has "not done its part" in defense, the pressure on Europe to increase its defense capabilities has been growing.

In a fully staffed state, a corps typically consists of 3 divisions, with a force of about 40,000 to 60,000 personnel.

In peacetime, only a streamlined command structure is maintained, with artillery, air defense, medical, and other specialized units assigned to ensure rapid expansion and deployment in wartime.

The German and Dutch defense ministries stated in a statement that the German-Dutch Corps, stationed in the German town of Münster, will take over the tactical headquarters in Estonia and Latvia around mid-year.

Previously, the "Northeast Multinational Corps" stationed in Szczecin, Poland (with about 20 participating countries) was responsible for the defense of the entire region; this command was established in 2017.

An unnamed military official stated that the establishment of a second army-level command in the Baltic defense system will enable NATO to have the operational capability for "rapid assembly and heavy troop deployment." (Translated by Xu Yanhong)