GENEVA

NATO on Thursday announced plans to mobilize about 90,000 troops from all 31 allies for its "largest" military exercise in decades. 

"I would like to announce the kick-off of Exercise Steadfast Defender 2024 commencing next week and running through May," Supreme Allied Commander Europe General Christopher Cavoli said at a news conference closing a meeting of NATO defense chiefs in Brussels.

It will be "the largest NATO exercise in decades, with participation from approximately 90,000 forces from all 31 Allies and our good partner Sweden," Cavoli said, adding that the alliance would demonstrate "its ability to reinforce the Euro-Atlantic area via trans-Atlantic movement of forces from North America."

Noting that the reinforcement would occur during a simulated emerging conflict scenario against a near-peer adversary, he underlined that the exercise would showcase NATO countries' "unity, strength, and determination to protect each other, our values, and the rules-based international order."

Numerous topics were on the agenda of the defense chiefs' meeting, including deterrence capacities, readiness, and the war in Ukraine. Sweden was also invited to attend amid efforts by the Nordic nation to join the alliance.