NATO sees Russia as 'direct threat' amid reinforcements plan: sources

Russia is NATO's "most significant and direct threat" while China's "coercive policies" challenge NATO's "interests, security and values," according to the alliance's new security doctrine, participants told dpa on Wednesday at a summit in Madrid, where the alliance also announced reinforcements for Eastern Europe.

The doctrine says NATO no longer views Russia as a strategic partner but stresses the alliance "does not seek confrontation and poses no threat" to the country.

Meanwhile, China uses a "broad range of political, economic and military" activities to project power, the doctrine said, outlining the alliance's view of the country for the first time.

NATO leaders signed off the alliance's Strategic Concept, a policy blueprint outlining the organization's aims and tasks for the next 10 years, last formulated in 2010.

The leaders agreed to ramp up reinforcements in Eastern Europe in view of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, sources told dpa.

The alliance plans to increase the number of rapid reaction forces available to NATO from around 40,000 troops to more than 300,000 soldiers.

The NATO Response Force (NRF) are usually under national command, but can be requested for deployment to another ally by NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR).