Germany, Netherlands to Take Command Role to Strengthen Defense of NATO’s Eastern Flank

Pressure on European NATO members to take more responsibility for their own defense has mounted following ​criticism from President Donald Trump.

New recruits of the German Army Bundeswehr attend a ceremony to take their oath in front of the North Rhine-Westphalia state parliament in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Sept. 4, 2025. Martin Meissner/AP Photo

NATO will add another tactical headquarters, led by Germany and the Netherlands, to strengthen the alliance’s defense of its eastern flank and deter Russian aggression.

In a May 28 joint press release, the German and Dutch ministries of defense said that 1 German-Netherlands Corps (1GNC) will assume a command role specifically in the region of Estonia and Latvia. The role will be formalized this summer.