NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. (Photo: AFP/ VNA)

Stoltenberg said that NATO was “in the midst of a very fundamental transformation” and that this major “reset” will entail the replacement of the relatively small “tripwire” presence on the alliance’s eastern flank with stronger forces. 

According to Stoltenberg, NATO currently has about 40,000 troops in the region, about 10 times more than just a few months ago, but this number will continue to grow.

The final decision will be adopted at the NATO summit in Madrid, Spain, in June.

Stoltenberg said earlier that NATO plans to strengthen its standing forces at sea, on land and in the air, as well as strengthen defense, air defense and cyber security systems.