NEWPORT,
Wales —NATO leaders approved plans Friday to build a rapid response force with
a headquarters in Eastern Europe to address the threat of aggression
from Russia.
NATO Secretary-General
Anders Fogh Rasmussen said command headquarters would be positioned in Eastern
Europe with supplies and equipment stockpiled there.
"It sends a clear
message to any potential aggressor: Should you even think of attacking one
ally, you will be facing the whole alliance," Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said NATO air
patrol flights over the Baltic and other air, land and naval measures already
in place will be extended indefinitely, as part of a readiness package that
also calls for mobilizing intelligence-sharing and conducting more short-term
military exercises.
Ukrainian President Petro
Poroshenko said he ordered government forces to stop hostilities, nearly five
months after fighting broke out in the nation's restive east, coincided with
the declaration of a cease-fire involving Ukraine, Russia and pro-Russian
rebels.
"I count on this
agreement, including the ceasing of fire and the freeing of hostages, to be
precisely observed," Poroshenko said.
Meanwhile, U.S. and Europe
have warned that they stand ready to levy more economic sanctions on Russia.
The crisis in Ukraine is
considered as one of the most pressing issues on the agenda during the summit.
Since Ukraine is not an alliance member, Russia's actions have prompted fears
among NATO member countries in Central and Eastern Europe.
British leader Cameron said
that "We must be able to act more swiftly,” referring to the tensions
discussed in the Summit.
NATO also announced that
its next summit will be held in Warsaw, Poland, in 2016.
Rasmussen proposed that
NATO was unlikely to take imminent military action against the militants in
Iraq, however, said he could foresee the alliance engaging in a "defense
capacity-building mission" there.
Meanwhile,
U.S. is already sending airstrikes against the Islamic State in Iraq, and
Britain has joined for humanitarian aid drops to besieged minority groups.
