Belgium to increase NATO standby troops in 2025
Photo: The number of troops will be increased both inside and outside the country (Getty Images)
Starting in 2025, the number of Belgian soldiers in NATO’s reserve forces will increase. Their numbers will triple or even quadruple, according to The Brussels Times, citing Belgium's Defense Minister Ludivine Dedonder.
The head of the Belgian Defense Ministry confirmed this news on Friday while presenting Belgium’s operational defense plan for 2025 at a press conference in Poland.
"The goal remains deterrence but also to increase our readiness level," said Ludivine Dedonder.
As part of the expansion, around 1,500 troops will be stationed in Belgium, ready to deploy within weeks or even days if NATO requires.
Additionally, Belgium will deploy between 650 and 1,400 soldiers abroad next year, depending on the season. This represents a 20% increase from the previous year.
A contingent of 300 soldiers will rotate through Romania as part of NATO’s multinational battle group to protect the Alliance’s eastern flank.
Belgium will also rejoin KFOR, NATO's force in Kosovo, in 2025. Furthermore, four Belgian F-16 fighter jets, which carried out an air defense mission in Lithuania in 2024, will be deployed to Iceland next year to “consolidate the Belgian presence in Northern Europe.”
On Thursday, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on Alliance members to review their defense strategies immediately. His remarks were in response to the prolonged threat posed by Russia.
