Canada mum on contribution as NATO beefs up presence in eastern Europe

OTTAWA – NATO has laid out plans to beef up its presence in eastern Europe, and Canada is noticeably absent from the list of countries that have acknowledged they’ll send military forces.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the alliance’s secretary general, said Wednesday that it will deploy additional air, sea and land forces to former East Bloc countries in response to the worsening crisis in Ukraine.

The United States, Britain, Denmark, Poland, Portugal and Germany are all planning to contribute fighter jets to increase air patrols over the Baltic region.

The Harper government is still studying how to respond, despite being one of the harshest voices condemning Russian interference in Ukraine.

Adam Hodge, spokesman for Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird, says the government takes its role in NATO seriously and is reviewing ways Canada can play a constructive role in this so-called reassurance package.

Rasmussen refused to detail how the new forces would be employed, but said in addition to increased air sorties there will be more NATO ships in the Baltic and in the eastern Mediterranean.