NATO countries prepare to counter military threats from Russia

Finland has said the NATO member country is planning to quit a global convention banning anti-personnel landmines and boost defense spending to at least 3 per cent of GDP by 2029. The country said, it is taking the steps in response to the evolving military threat from Russia. Talking to reporters, Prime Minister Petteri Orpo on Tuesday said, there was no immediate military threat to his Nordic nation. He said, withdrawing from the 1997 Ottawa convention will give them the possibility to prepare for the changes in the security environment in a more versatile way. Poland and the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania last month said, they will withdraw from the Ottawa convention due to threats posed by neighboring Russia.
Meanwhile, Germany has send 5,000 troops to Lithuania in first permanent troop deployment out of borders — and at Russia's doorstep — since WWII. The move is being seen as Berlin moves to bolster NATO’s eastern flank in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine.According to the German military’s lobbying group, the newly created 45th Armored Brigade was formally activated during a ceremony outside Vilnius. A temporary headquarters was established, with the brigade's crest unveiled and the unit now officially under the command of Brigadier General Christoph Huber. “We have a clear mission: to ensure the protection, freedom and security of our Lithuanian allies on NATO’s eastern flank,” Huber told dpa, the German press agency. “In doing so, we also protect NATO territory — and Germany itself.”
Currently, 150 German troops are stationed in Lithuania. That number is expected to reach 500 by year’s end.For NATO, the deployment represents a critical part of the alliance’s shift to deterrence by forward defense. For Germany, it’s a major step in shedding its reputation as a reluctant military power.