NATO is considering building a pipeline system from Germany to Poland and the Czech Republic to ensure a swift supply of jet fuel for fighter aircraft in the event of a conflict with Russia, Reuters reported on Feb. 22, citing a news report published by the German magazine Der Spiegel.

The new plan would extend the existing NATO pipeline infrastructure built during the Cold War beyond western Germany, where it currently ends.

Der Spiegel, citing an internal memo from the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces, reported "significant problems in the sustainable fuel supply for forces that would need to be deployed to the eastern border in case of emergency."

Neither NATO nor the German defense ministry immediately responded to Reuter's requests for comment.

According to a separate briefing document for senior German defense ministry leadership, internal discussions among NATO allies have concluded that pipeline systems are "the backbone of NATO’s fuel supply," Der Spiegel reported.

The project is estimated to cost 21 billion euros ($22 billion), with the pipeline expected to be largely completed by 2035, the magazine said.