NATO prepares to deploy 4 combat groups in Eastern Europe and warns Russia against "nuclear"

NATO announced that it will deploy 4 new combat groups in Eastern European countries, warning Russia against using nuclear weapons in its war on Ukraine.

US President Joe Biden said in a statement that NATO leaders agreed Thursday to strengthen defenses, especially in Eastern Europe, and will deploy four new combat units in Slovakia, Romania, Bulgaria and Hungary.

Biden added, during his visit to Europe to discuss the Russian attack on Ukraine, that the leaders of the alliance will also develop plans for additional forces and capabilities before their summit scheduled in June.

For his part, NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced Thursday that the alliance will provide Ukraine with protection equipment from chemical, biological and nuclear threats, and will protect its forces deployed on the eastern flank from these threats.

At the conclusion of an extraordinary summit of NATO leaders, he said that allies were "concerned" about the possibility of such weapons being used in Ukraine after the Russian attack, and "agreed to provide equipment to help Ukraine protect itself from chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats."

Stoltenberg indicated that Russia is trying to create an excuse that NATO is ready to use chemical weapons to justify its use of this weapon, explaining that it was agreed to confront cyber attacks and protect against nuclear weapons and all threats.

He added, "Putin's invasion of Ukraine changed our security environment in the long term, and it will also be our response in the long term, and we must reduce our dependence on Russia in the field of energy and look for other alternatives."

He continued, "China should not help Russia militarily or economically, and it should denounce the war."