NATO has commenced “Steadfast Dart 2025,” its largest military exercise of the year, involving 10,000 personnel from nine allied nations. The exercise focuses on deploying the NATO Response Force (NRF) across Bulgaria, Greece, and Romania during the first quarter of 2025.

Initiated on January 13, participating countries include Bulgaria, France, Greece, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, and the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

British Armed Forces Minister Luke Pollard stated:

“Approaching the third anniversary of Russia’s illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine, we must collectively strengthen our collective defense to effectively deter Putin. Steadfast Dart exercises demonstrate our unwavering commitment to NATO and underscore the United Kingdom’s key leadership role in the Alliance.”

Planning for the exercises is led by NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), with execution managed by NATO’s Joint Force Command Naples (JFCNP). “Steadfast Dart 2025” is a vital component of NATO’s rotational structure for the NRF, comprising strategic forces capable of rapid deployment in diverse operational scenarios.