France primed to lead NATO unit designed to check Russian aggression
by John Vandiver
• Stars and Stripes • December 29, 2021
STUTTGART, Germany — France is set to assume command of NATO’s quick-reaction spearhead force in the year ahead, replacing Turkey at the helm of a unit that could reinforce the alliance’s eastern flank if Russia attacks Ukraine.
The core of the unit, formally known as the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force, includes a multinational contingent of several thousand troops and a French-German brigade, NATO said Wednesday. The changeover takes place Jan. 1.
“At a time of unprecedented security challenges, there must be no misunderstanding about NATO’s resolve. We stand together to defend and protect all allies,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said in a statement.
The spearhead force was created in 2014 in response to Moscow’s initial military intervention in Ukraine and was hailed as a hallmark in NATO’s efforts to adapt in response to a more assertive Russia.
https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2021-12-29/france-nato-spearhead-force-4117672.html
