President to push for NATO deployments

New Polish President Andrzej Duda will visit Estonia next week to start a push for NATO to deploy more forces in the region, a senior aide said on Monday.

The visit reflects increasing fears over Russia after its annexation of Ukraine's Crimea region. Spooked by the move, Poland and the Baltic states have repeatedly asked NATO to station forces permanently in their territories along the alliance's eastern flank near Russia.

But Germany and other Western members of NATO, concerned about not risking a sharp Russian response, have rebuffed the appeals and opted to intensify joint exercises and rotate alliance troops throughout the region.