( FRED CHARTRAND / THE CANADIAN PRESS )OTTAWA—Defence chief Gen. Jonathan Vance says the Canadian-led NATO force in Latvia is starting to take shape, with several countries having expressed an interest in contributing troops and equipment. Each sent representatives on a Canadian-led reconnaissance mission to Latvia last month to get a feel for the situation on the ground. Italian Ambassador to NATO Claudio Bisogniero confirmed on Twitter on Friday that his country will make a “significant contribution” to the battle group. One potential challenge is making sure the required infrastructure is ready when the battle group begins to arrive. But they are also “modest” to prevent any provocation or escalation in tensions between Russia and NATO.

Source: thestar September 17, 2016 20:17 UTC