More than 20 countries plan to send more troops to Afghanistan following a US decision to deploy an extra 30,000 troops there. The news comes as the alliance's foreign ministers gather in Brussels for two-day talks. They are expected to focus on a request by US President Barack Obama for NATO allies to send some 10,000 more troops. <br/> <br/>A NATO spokesman said members are set to pledge more than 5,000 troops, but more army and police trainers are needed. Several European nations have been reluctant to commit more forces to the eight-year-old conflict. Italian Defence Minister Ignazio La Russa said yesterday that Rome would send about 1,000 extra troops to Afghanistan. <br/><br/>It currently has 3,200 soldiers there. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, speaking after a meeting with Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, indicated that Russia will also do its part in Afghanistan. He said they are ready to support these efforts, take part in economic projects and train police and the military. <br/> <br/>Meanwhile, the German parliament has voted to extend by a year the mandate allowing the government to send troops to Afghanistan, but did not lift the upper limit of soldiers, currently set at 4,500. <br/> <br/>