NATO tests war preparedness on eastern flank facing Russia

By AFP | 2025-11-07

On the Mures river in central Romania, French armored vehicles and Romanian trucks recently boarded a motorized floating bridge, part of a large military exercise to showcase NATO's ability to rapidly increase force levels on its eastern flank facing Russia.

The drill -- planned for months and seen as an "integration exercise" for NATO members -- comes after Washington said it would pull some troops out from the area.

Romania, which shares some 650km (400 miles) of border with Ukraine, has gained in strategic importance since Russia invaded its neighbor in 2022.

In the Dacian Fall exercise running from October 20 to November 13, French-led troops from Belgium, France, Luxembourg and Spain are engaged in maneuvers and live-fire artillery and tank drills, together with Romanian soldiers.

Since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Paris has deployed nearly 1,500 soldiers in Romania and doubled them for the exercise. In case of a crisis, this can be increased to 5,000 troops.

"We must demonstrate our ability to integrate into a NATO division," said French Gen. Maxime Do Tran, commander of the 7th Armored Brigade deployed for Dacian Fall.

The exercise, conducted across Romania, follows "NATO's real defense plans" and serves to signal the alliance's "strategic solidarity," he added.

While French army engineers skillfully docked the massive motorized barge on the banks of the Mures during one exercise, 200m (220 yards) away, Romanian engineers quickly put up a pontoon.

The French and Romanian teams will then switch roles.

"In Europe, there's a watercourse every 20 to 30km; crossing is a complex skill that had somewhat been lost," said Col. Jerome Paris, head of the French engineering detachment.

'It's an integration exercise'

About 60km to the north, amid sun-scorched grassy hills, Romanian Gen. Dorin Toma, who commands NATO troops in Romania and Bulgaria, observed French engineers destroying obstacles identified by small quadcopter drones.

"It's an integration exercise," he said, adding that at the end of a two-year cycle to integrate forces "we're in a very good position."

The challenge is to maintain the level as "people are changing, weapons systems are changing."

"We need to keep the pace," he said.

On Washington's announcement that it would pull some troops out from NATO's eastern flank, Gen. Toma said that from "a military standpoint, it changes nothing" given how the United States showed in 2022 that they were ready to deploy significant resources to the country at short notice.

Washington has denied its announcement amounted to an US withdrawal from Europe.

Romania's Defense Ministry recently said that 900-1,000 US soldiers would remain, down from the about 1,700 currently deployed.

'Military Schengen' needed

Transporting equipment to Romania was a complex logistical operation that faced administrative hurdles.

For each country crossed, every license plate must be specified in documentation along with the names of personnel in the convoy, which has to be escorted by local police.

NATO mechanisms exist to "lower administrative and customs barriers" in case of conflict, French Lt. Col. Alexis said, adding that there was no "military Schengen" allowing for free movement of equipment.

The French military prohibits, with some exceptions, the publication of surnames of its staff.

"Mobility corridors" with clearly identified routes and streamlined administrative procedures are a solution.

The Netherlands, Germany and Poland are setting up one from North Sea ports to the Belarusian border.

"Harmonization is underway, but it takes time," Alexis said.