The story so far: The North Atlantic Treaty Council (NATO) started its largest military exercise in Europe — the Steadfast Defender 2024 — at the end of January, which is being seen as a statement of solidarity against Russia, after two years of its invasion of Ukraine. The exercise is being conducted in two parts — the first phase began January end and will last till mid-March and focus on maritime reinforcement across the Atlantic and in the Arctic. The second phase (mid-February to end of May) will focus on using deployed reinforcements across all domains, from the Arctic to the Eastern Flank.
What is the military exercise all about?
According to NATO, the military exercise incorporates land, air, sea, cyber, and space operations to enhance civil-military cooperation. Over 90,000 troops from 31 NATO allies as well as special invitee Sweden are expected to participate in the exercise over the next few months.
