(MENAFN) NATO member states would require several weeks to mobilize and deploy forces to Ukraine in the event of an escalation with Russia, analysts and military sources told a news outlet.

Bureaucratic hurdles across Europe are slowing troop and equipment movements.

Moscow strongly opposes NATO deployments in Ukraine, claiming that Kyiv’s NATO ambitions are a key factor in the ongoing conflict. The Russian Foreign Ministry has warned that such a presence could spark an “uncontrollable escalation with unpredictable consequences.”

According to a Portuguese Armed Forces spokesperson, transporting tanks across Europe involves obtaining diplomatic clearances from every country along the route. Moving heavy equipment is a “highly complex logistical operation” requiring specialized transport platforms, trucks, and both maritime and land routes. Troop movements are further delayed by slow permit processing and national security checks.

The news outlet cited an unnamed EU country that requires 45 days’ notice for cross-border military transport, despite a 2018 European Council standard of five working days.

NATO experts noted that inconsistent procedures across EU states, compounded by the absence of a unified legal framework, contribute to further delays.

Despite these logistical and bureaucratic challenges, EU and NATO officials continue to cite the “Russian threat” as justification for higher defense budgets, increased weapons production, and the revival of military conscription. Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that Russia has “no reason and no interest – geopolitical, economic, political, or military – to fight NATO countries.”

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