NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe Philip Breedlove talks to journalist during a joint news conference with Portuguese Armed Forces General Chief Artur Pina Monteiro, right, at Sao Juliao de Barra fort in Oeiras, near Lisbon, Tuesday, April 29, 2014. During the conference, Breedlove talked about the current crisis situation in Ukraine among other issues. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)The Associated Press

NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe Philip Breedlove gestures as he answers a question during a news conference at Sao Juliao de Barra fort in Oeiras, near Lisbon, Portugal, Tuesday, April 29, 2014. During the conference, Breedlove talked about the current crisis situation in Ukraine among other issues. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)The Associated Press

NATO's Supreme Allied Commander in Europe Philip Breedlove talks to journalists during a news conference at Sao Juliao de Barra fort in Oeiras, near Lisbon, portugal, Tuesday, April 29, 2014. During the conference, Breedlove talked about the current crisis situation in Ukraine among other issues. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)The Associated Press

LISBON, Portugal A high-ranking NATO official says Europe must change its thinking from the times when international borders were considered permanent because the "paradigm has clearly changed" following Russia's annexation of Crimea.

U.S. Air Force Gen. Philip Breedlove says NATO is responding to the new and evolving military situation in Europe by increasing military maneuvers in Poland, Romania, the Baltic region and the Black Sea.

In an appearance Tuesday in Lisbon, Breedlove reaffirmed NATO's commitment to collective defense, where an attack on one member is deemed an attack on all.

The Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are increasingly worried that Russia's annexation of Crimea could lead to destabilization in their region. All have significant Russian speaking minorities.

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NATO commander: Europe concept on international borders changed after Crimea annexation