NATO, with major military exercises, attend over 50,000 soldiers

Norway will be hosting the largest exercises conducted by NATO on Thursday since the end of the Cold War, reminding Russia that the alliance remains united despite allegations the American President Donald Trump has in this regard.

More than 50,000 soldiers, 10,000 vehicles, 65 ships and 250 planes from 31 states will be part of military exercises titled “Trident Juncture”, which are aimed at training the Alliance to protect member states from aggression.

“in recent years, Europe's security environment has significantly deteriorated”, the Secretary General of General said. NATO, Jens Stoltenberg in Norway.

It sends a clear message to our nations and to any potential enemy. NATO does not require confrontation, but we are willing to protect all our allies against any threats against”, he said before reporters Wednesday.

Although potential enemy “ ” has not been officially identified, Russia has been in the minds of each.

This 198 - mile [198 km] border to Norway in the north has repeatedly mentioned its military power in recent years.

The Russian Army has annexed Crime, helped destabilise Ukraine's birth, increased military capacities in the Arctic, and conducted the largest military exercises ever conducted in September.

Retract “antirus”

The Russian Embassy in Oslo has considered NATO exercises “antirus”.

Such activity is provocative even if you try to reason on whether it is being realised for the pure purpose of defence”, it is said in the statement of this Embassy.

Besides, Moscow has been angry for months for increasing the Western military presence in the region. The United States and Britain have increased the number of their troops in Norway to accommodate combat in cold weather.

Russia's Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, had sentenced NATO steps in January, promising that Moscow would take “revenge measures”.

The key NATO states are increasing their military presence in the region, near the border with Russia”, she has said.

Such irresponsible steps affect destabilisation of the political situation in the north and raise tensions”, she had said.

But tensions have already increased since Saturday, after US President Donald Trump announced US withdrawal from the Nuclear Weapons Treaty, which he signed with Russia in 1987.

After these statements, Russia has said such an American decision could spur the new “weapons towers”.

But accusing Russia of violating this Pact, Trump has threatened with increased US nuclear weapons arsenal.

Is Article 5 safe?

Despite concerns about Trump's commitment to the north-Atlantic Alliance, “Article 5”, which determines common protection, the US Army is the biggest contributor to Thursday's exercises, as more than 14,000 troops will be part of the organisation respectively.

We will conduct exercises in Noverg, but of course the lessons from them are important to other states”, Stoltenberg is expressed.

Four American soldiers have been easily injured Tuesday while carrying the material needed for training.

In addition to 29 NATO states, part of these exercises will be Norway's neighbours, Sweden and Finland.

Two military officials from Russia and Belarus have also been invited to monitor NATO maneuvers, which last until 7 November.

Stoltenberg has already said he hopes Russia “will avoid dangerous approach”.