OREANDA-NEWS. NATO countries have begun practical preparations for a response in the event of a second wave of pandemic caused by coronavirus of a new type. This was stated on June 26 by Secretary General of the North Atlantic Alliance, Jens Stoltenberg, before a meeting in Brussels with Pentagon chief Mark Esper.

According to Stoltenberg, NATO’s willingness to respond to a possible second wave of pandemic is increasing through the creation of an operational action plan, stockpiling of medical supplies and equipment, and the allocation of additional funding. The head of the alliance said that military support efforts of civilian to fight the pandemic. He noted that NATO countries must continue to invest on defense to stay strong and to ensure that the healthcare crisis does not turn into a security crisis.

The decision to start preparing NATO for the second wave of the pandemic was made at consultations of the alliance’s defense ministers, which took place on June 17–18 in videoconference format.