NATO allies pool forces to safeguard security in Poland, Baltics [INTERVIEW]

NATO's Warsaw summit in July 2016 endorsed an agreement to deploy allied forces in Poland and the Baltic states as part of the Western military alliance's Enhanced Forward Presence.

Canadian troops train alongside NATO allies during an artillery exercise in Adazi, Latvia, Nov. 14, 2023.

U.S. Army photo by Spc. Bernabe Lopez III, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Since then, the force has been upgraded from a battlegroup to a brigade and is now known as the NATO Multinational Brigade.

The United States is the framework nation for the NATO Multinational Brigade in Poland. Germany serves as the framework nation in Lithuania, Britain in Estonia and Canada in Latvia.

The brigade in Latvia comprises rotational troops from NATO countries including Canada, Poland, Spain, Italy, Slovenia and Albania. It conducts national and multinational military exercises alongside Latvian soldiers.

On June 10, Col David Brassard assumed command of @NATOMNBLatvia from Col Kristopher Reeves at Ādaži. He is the third Canadian to lead the Brigade since 2024, as Canada continues to support #NATO deterrence and defence. pic.twitter.com/IXGzePpQAf

— Canadian Joint Operations Command (@CJOC_COIC) June 11, 2026

Eduard Zholud of the Belarusian section of Polish Radio's External Service spoke with Col. David Brassard, commander of the NATO Multinational Brigade in Latvia, about the unit's mission.

Click on the audio player above to listen