(Reuters) --- The German army is to put
one of its battalions under Polish command, rapidly scaling up ties with Warsaw at a time of increasing fears in eastern Europe
over Russia .
General Bruno
Kasdorf told Reuters a Polish battalion would also come under German control,
as part of efforts by the two NATO members to boost familiarity with each other's
militaries and allow greater cross-border co-operation in future.
It is not yet clear
which Polish and German battalions would be affected, but it could be combat
units close to the Polish-German border, taking effect by mid-2016.
Russian intervention
in Ukraine has left Poland and the Baltic
states , all members of the western military alliance, feeling
particularly vulnerable.
"Up to now we
have had close ties to our French neighbours, a good link with the Dutch and
good relations with Poland
... but we want to give these a new quality," Kasdorf said.
Last April NATO
agreed a package of measures to reinforce its eastern borders in response to
the Ukraine
crisis, including more patrols and exercises.
This was followed
in September by plans to create a "spearhead" rapid reaction force
and pre-positioning supplies and equipment in east European countries so they
can be reinforced within days.
"We are
already doing a lot this year in Poland ,
the Baltics and Hungary ,
to support NATO assurance measures," Kasdorf said.
Some 5,200 German
soldiers will exercise in the eastern member states of NATO this year, the
highest number of troops ever for unified Germany .
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