BRUSSELS/MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Later in the briefing, Stoltenberg noted that NATO's expanded role would provide a coordinating platform among member states in addition to showing a "strong political message of unity."
"This will send a strong political message of NATO's commitment to the fight against terrorism and also improve our coordination within the coalition," he said. "But it does not mean that NATO will engage in combat operations."
The alliance's expanded role includes more AWACS flight times, air-to-air refueling and intelligence sharing, Stoltenberg specified.
"Today we will decide to expand our support to the coalition," Stoltenberg said ahead of the summit in Brussels. "Today we will agree on NATO's membership in the coalition."
Earlier NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said he expected that at the summit NATO leaders would take decisions to increase the alliance's support for the US-led coalition fighting Daesh terror group. The Secretary General noted that the allies would also address burden-sharing across NATO, including how to meet the 2 percent spending pledge.
Stoltenberg also stated that Russia will be discussed at the summit on joining the US-led anti-Daesh coalition and increased defense spending, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Thursday.
"Russia is on NATO's agenda always and Russia will be discussed during the meeting later on today," Stoltenberg said ahead of the summit.
NATO plans to establish an intelligence-sharing cell as part of its decision to join the US-led coalition against Daesh, Stoltenberg added.
"At the same time, we will agree to establish a new terrorism intelligence cell here at NATO headquarters, improving how we share intelligence, including on foreign fighters," Stoltenberg said.
He added ahead of the NATO summit that "we will decide to appoint a coordinator to oversee NATO's efforts in the fight against terrorism."
The meeting will be attended by US President Donald Trump as part of his first foreign trip. Trump arrived in Brussels on Wednesday, accompanied by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
The US President will unveil the 9/11 and Article 5 Memorial and make a speech as the terrorist attack in New York on September 9 in 2011 has been the only time in the history of the alliance when the article on collective defense of the NATO founding treaty was invoked.
