ABSTRACT
NATO’s performance in responding to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been decidedly mixed. The council took swift and decisive action by granting immediate authorisation to NATO’s military commander, the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, to activate the Alliance’s defence plans and rapid-reaction forces. Russia’s invasion presented NATO with a rare opportunity to modernise its military plans and structures. During the Cold War, NATO organised its forces into four categories: Immediate Reaction Forces, Reaction Forces, Main Defence Forces and Augmentation Forces. National capability targets are prepared for each allied country as part of the NATO Defence Planning Process. In the belief that ground war in Europe was relegated to history, America’s NATO allies have done the bare minimum to prepare their militaries for territorial collective defence. A cessation of hostilities could lead allies to conclude the present danger has passed and cause national leaders to slow-walk long-overdue reforms to their armed forces.
