General Wiesław Kukuła said that the purpose of the Steadfast Defender 2024 exercise was to act as a “deterrence, showing NATO’s will and ability to respond to a potential threat from the Russian Federation.”

He added that it was also aimed at “gathering further experience that will help define weak points, especially in the speed of mobilization.”

“We have to be ready to win today,” he said.

NATO’s Steadfast Defender 2024 exercise is the largest carried out by the alliance since the Cold War.

With close to 90,000 troops from all 31 NATO members, the exercise aims to test and refine the alliance’s defense plans and ability to repel an attack.