NATO News and Discussion

[caltrek]

NATO’s Largest Exercise In Decades, ‘Steadfast Defender’, Gets Underway
January 24, 2024

Introduction:

(Eurasia Review) Exercise Steadfast Defender 24, NATO’s largest exercise in decades, began on Wednesday, January 24, 2024 as the dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) departed Norfolk, Virginia, United States and following a series of operations will commence her transit across the Atlantic.

The departure of USS Gunston Hall marks the first tactical movement of Steadfast Defender 24. His Majesty’s Canadian Ship Charlottetown, will depart Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada for Europe later this month.

Planned over the course of several years, Steadfast Defender 24 will highlight NATO’s ability to deploy forces rapidly from North America and other parts of the Alliance to reinforce the defence of Europe.

“The Alliance will demonstrate its ability to reinforce the Euro-Atlantic area via trans-Atlantic movement of forces from North America,” said General Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). “Steadfast Defender 2024 will be a clear demonstration of our unity, strength, and determination to protect each other, our values and the rules-based international order.”

Steadfast Defender 24 will take place in several locations, with associated exercises running until May 31, 2024.

Read more here: https://www.eurasiareview.com/24012024 ... underway/



The Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) departed Naval Station Norfolk, January 24, 2024, commencing operations for Steadfast Defender 2024, NATO’s largest exercise in decades.
Photo Credit: NATO

[weatheriscool]

Turkey votes in favor of Sweden's NATO membership after months of delay

Source: Washington Post (gift link)

ISTANBUL — After 20 months of demands, obstruction and delay, the Turkish parliament on Tuesday night voted in favor of Sweden joining NATO, clearing one of the final hurdles for a major expansion of the military alliance set in motion by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan still needs to sign the ratification document.

Assuming he does, Hungary would be the last remaining holdout. Officials there have previously signaled they would not, ultimately, stand in the way. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Viktor Orban announced, somewhat cryptically, that he had invited the Swedish prime minister to visit to “negotiate on Sweden’s NATO accession.”

Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson appeared to respond only to the Turkish vote, writing on X, formerly Twitter, “Today we are one step closer to becoming a full member of NATO. Positive that the Grand General Assembly of Türkiye has voted in favour of Sweden’s NATO accession.”

Read more: https://wapo.st/3S8oreU

[Time_Traveller]

Poland signs 'military Schengen' deal alongside Germany and Netherlands

09/02/2024 - 15:40

Poland continues to grapple with internal and external security challenges, and Russia's behaviour remains the top concern.

Poland has joined the so-called 'military Schengen' agreement, a European initiative aimed at streamlining troop mobility among participating states.

The agreement, also signed by Germany and the Netherlands, is both a gesture of solidarity with Ukraine and a concrete step towards better European security, guaranteeing a swift aid corridor for Ukraine and facilitating future mobilisation on NATO's eastern flank.

According to the Polish minister of defence, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, the conflict in Ukraine has underscored the importance of rapid troop mobilisation. Daphne Bergsma, the Dutch ambassador to Poland, stressed that military mobility is central to in addressing growing geopolitical challenges.

Poland, which is a neighbour to both Russia and Belarus, remains deeply engaged with both internal and external security challenges, with the government particularly focused on the threat from Russia.

https://www.euronews.com/2024/02/09/pol ... etherlands

[Time_Traveller]

Trump says he would 'encourage' Russia to attack Nato allies who don't pay their bills

25 minutes ago

Donald Trump says he would "encourage" Russia to attack any Nato member that fails to pay its bills as part of the Western military alliance.

He said he had once told a Nato leader he would not protect a nation behind on its payments if it came under attack from Russia, and would "encourage them to do whatever they hell they want".

Members of Nato commit to defend any nation in the bloc that gets attacked.

The White House called the comments "appalling and unhinged".

Speaking during a rally in South Carolina on Saturday, Mr Trump said he had made his comments about Russia during a meeting of leaders of Nato countries.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68266447

[wjfox]

Trump says he would 'encourage' Russia to attack Nato allies who don't pay their bills

25 minutes ago

Donald Trump says he would "encourage" Russia to attack any Nato member that fails to pay its bills as part of the Western military alliance.

He said he had once told a Nato leader he would not protect a nation behind on its payments if it came under attack from Russia, and would "encourage them to do whatever they hell they want".

Members of Nato commit to defend any nation in the bloc that gets attacked.

The White House called the comments "appalling and unhinged".

Speaking during a rally in South Carolina on Saturday, Mr Trump said he had made his comments about Russia during a meeting of leaders of Nato countries.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-68266447

Just totally deranged. What more can I say? Shame on anyone who even considers voting for this lunatic.

[weatheriscool]

[Time_Traveller]

Certainly deranged, he needs to be careful on his words before saying something this stupid.

[weatheriscool]

[caltrek]

Support Grows For Rutte As Next NATO Boss, But Eastern Europe Still Lurking
by Aurélie Pugnet
February 25, 2024

Introduction:

(Eurasia Review) Public support from the West is growing for the Dutchman Mark Rutte to become NATO’s next secretary-general, but he will still need to secure crucial support among members from Eastern Europe.

The outgoing Dutch prime minister has been a top contender to take over Jens Stoltenberg’s spot at the helm of the Western military alliance for months now and even become an “official candidate”, meaning he is seriously looking for support.

His path toward the NATO top job seemed to straighten significantly on Thursday (22 February) when Washington, London, and Berlin expressed their official backing, the first public support since he entered the race.

But it was quickly overshadowed by reports that Romanian President Klaus Iohannis could also throw his hat into the race.

Pundits in Romania suggest Iohannis is looking for a job as he has served two five-year terms and cannot run for president again when his term ends in December.

Read more here: https://www.eurasiareview.com/25022024 ... urking/

[caltrek]

Sweden Clears Final Hurdle in Bid to Join NATO after Hungary Approves Accession
by Joshua Berlinger and Stephanie Halasz
February 26, 2024

Introduction:

(CNN) Hungary’s parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden’s bid to join NATO on Monday, clearing the way for the Nordic nation’s accession to the alliance after nearly two years of intense negotiations and dealing a geopolitical blow to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the parliament press office said.

Getting approval from the Hungarian parliament was the final hurdle for Stockholm joining NATO. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson visited Budapest on Friday to discuss defense and security cooperation with his Hungarian counterpart, Viktor Orban. The two sides appeared to reconcile, agreeing on a deal that would see Hungary acquire four new Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets.

Of the 194 members of parliament who voted, just six rejected Sweden’s accession.

“Today is a historic day,” Kristersson said on X shortly after the vote. “Sweden stands ready to shoulder its responsibility for Euro-Atlantic security.”
Sweden will formally join the alliance after it submits its instrument of accession with the United States government, which is the depository of the North Atlantic Treaty. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg confirmed that Sweden will join the alliance now that all allies have approved Sweden’s bid to join.

Read more here: https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/26/europe/ ... dex.html

[weatheriscool]

[firestar464]

Here's an actual article on the subject:

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/eu ... 024-02-27/

[Time_Traveller]

Sweden finally joins Nato after nearly two-year wait

Thu 7 Mar 2024 16.42 GMT



Sweden has officially became the 32nd member of Nato, in a landmark moment for the historically neutral country and the western military alliance.

Stockholm’s ratification process was finally completed in Washington on Thursday, as Sweden and Hungary – the last country to ratify Sweden’s membership – submitted the necessary documents after a drawn-out process that has taken nearly two years.

For Sweden, it marks the end of a 20-month-long wait that started in May 2022 when it submitted its application to join alongside Finland, prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February that year. Finland became Nato’s 31st member last year.

Ratification also marks a historic sea change in Sweden’s national and international identity, as it shifts away from the neutrality that started at the end of the cold war.

The ratification cements Nato’s control of the Nordic region, with all countries now members, and makes the Baltic an entirely “Nato sea”

.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/ ... opposition

[Time_Traveller]

Sweden and Finland join Nato's biggest military exercise in decades

2 hours ago



There was a time when Nato would do its best to avoid direct mention of Russia when conducting its military manoeuvres. Not least for fear of provocation. But Russia's full scale invasion of Ukraine has changed all that.

Now the alliance's drills have Moscow in mind. One of the key stated objectives of Exercise Steadfast Defender is to deter Russia. It's the alliance's largest since the end of the Cold War, involving 90,000 military personnel and taking place right across Europe's eastern flank over the next few months.

Steadfast Defender is also the first test of Nato's new military plans - designed to move troops and equipment at speed and scale to bolster any ally under attack. And it's an affirmation of the very purpose of Nato - that an attack on one would prompt a response from all.

Donald Trump may have called that into question, but America remains the backbone of that pledge and has committed huge resources to prove it.

The first stage of the exercise is taking place in the remote white wilderness of the Finnmark region of northern Norway. It's not that far from Norway's 120-mile border with Russia. Though in this scenario Finnmark's been invaded by a fictional enemy called Occasus.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-68535762

[caltrek]

Sweden’s NATO Membership Will Further Intensify The Arctic Geopolitical Rivalry
by K.M. Seethi
March 11, 2024

Introduction:

(Eurasia Review) With Sweden’s admission into NATO, after Finland, the Nordic nation’s integration into the US-led Atlantic alliance extends the military tension into the Arctic region. This escalation introduces a new dimension of geopolitical rivalry between Russia and NATO, thereby exacerbating unrest in the security landscape in the High North. Sweden’s inclusion in the Atlantic alliance means that seven out of the eight members of the Arctic Council are now NATO Allies. This configuration poses a heightened strategic threat from the alliance to Russia in the Arctic region.

On March 7, 2024, Sweden officially became the newest member of NATO by depositing its instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty with the United States government in Washington, DC. With Sweden’s accession, the total number of countries within NATO has now reached 32. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg hailed Sweden’s historic accession, granting the nation an equal role in shaping policies and the protection of Article 5. Emphasizing Sweden’s capable armed forces, Stoltenberg asserted the strengthened security of both Sweden and the Alliance. The official flag-raising ceremony at NATO headquarters on March 11, 2024, symbolizes Sweden’s integration and the Alliance’s commitment to an open-door policy.

According to Mike Winnerstig, the shift in the Swedish government’s stance towards NATO membership can be attributed to some key factors. First, the Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, presented a significant challenge to European security, prompting a reevaluation of Sweden’s neutral policy. Despite historical security challenges, including world wars and the Cold War, Sweden had maintained its neutrality. However, the Ukrainian conflict prompted a shift in the official stance. Another factor was the internal study initiated by the government after warming up to the idea of NATO membership, with the report indirectly recommending it as the most suitable response to Russian aggression. The strategic alignment with Finland was yet another compelling factor, where close political and military cooperation made it apparent that a Finnish NATO membership would likely lead to a Swedish one. The importance of a ‘defence deficit’ factor also played a crucial role in the Swedish decision, even though it is not often explicitly stated.

Read more here: https://www.eurasiareview.com/11032024 ... nalysis/

[Time_Traveller]

Laura Kuenssberg: West facing 'authoritarian' alliance, says Nato chief

3 hours ago

An "alliance of authoritarian powers" is working more closely together against Western democracies, the head of Nato has warned.

Jens Stoltenberg told the BBC that Russia, Iran, China and North Korea are increasingly aligned.

He also said he was confident allies of the Nato military alliance would agree a long-term funding deal for Ukraine by July.

But he suggested Ukraine might have to decide on some "kind of compromises".

Mr Stoltenberg was speaking to Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, in an interview to be broadcast on Sunday morning.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68743805

[weatheriscool]

[wjfox]

A wargame simulated a 2nd Trump presidency. It concluded NATO would collapse.

Michael Peck
May 12, 2024, 10:00 AM BST

If Donald Trump wins a second term in the White House in November, NATO may fall apart, a recent wargame found.

As a presidential candidate, Trump has threatened to quit NATO unless European allies contribute more, and should he carry it out Europe may decide to go it alone on defense, the game suggests. "A US policy of frustrating NATO has the potential to cause the alliance to collapse, with the EU as a candidate for eventually replacing NATO's ultimate function — defending Europe from Russia," wrote Finley Grimble, the British defense expert who designed and ran the game.

The US doesn't have to withdraw from NATO to imperil the 75-year-old alliance. Technically, the US is barred from leaving NATO after Congress voted in 2023 to prohibit withdrawal without congressional approval.

But the game showed how Trump — the presumptive Republican presidential nominee who said on the campaign trail that he'd encourage Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" with NATO allies who spend too little on their militaries — could undermine NATO simply by doing as little as possible to support the alliance. "What Donald Trump can do is just really hollow out what NATO does," Grimble told Business Insider. "He doesn't need to leave NATO to ruin it. He can ruin it from within."

Grimble, who has conducted wargames for the British government, conceived of this game after claims by former US National Security Adviser John Bolton that he talked then-President Trump out of withdrawing from NATO in 2018. He designed a tabletop simulation where the players — mostly British specialists in defense, intelligence and foreign policy — assumed the role of leaders of the 32 NATO nations, plus Ukraine and Russia; China was played by the umpires. The US was played by an American who "was trying to enter into the psyche of Trump, which was no easy task," Grimble recalled.

Trump, who faces criminal charges in four separate cases, has been criticized for sowing chaos in American politics. And chaos is exactly what happens in the game when the fictional Trump takes office in January 2025.

https://www.businessinsider.com/a-warga ... pse-2024-5

[Time_Traveller]

Nato’s failure to save Ukraine raises an existential question: what on earth is it for?

Sat 18 May 2024 15.00 BST

Nato’s grand 75th birthday celebration in Washington in July will ring hollow in Kyiv. The alliance has miserably failed its biggest post-cold war test – the battle for Ukraine. Sadly, there’s no denying it: Vladimir Putin is on a roll.

Advancing Russian forces in Kharkiv profit from the west’s culpably slow drip-feed of weaponry to Kyiv and its leaders’ chronic fear of escalation. Ukraine receives just enough support to survive, never to prevail. Now even bare survival is in doubt.

Ukraine is Europe’s fight. It’s freedom’s global fight, Joe Biden says – a fight for democracy. “Our support cannot and will not falter. Britain is with you for as long as it takes,” Rishi Sunak vows. Yet, on the ground, Ukraine is mostly left to fight alone.

Nato should have intervened robustly to deter Russia’s aggression right from the start, as repeatedly urged here. No-fly zones could have prevented thousands of civilian casualties and limited damage to Ukraine’s cities.

Restrictions on Kyiv’s use of western-made missiles to attack military bases and oil refineries inside Russia were, and are, self-defeating. Nato navies should have imposed defensive cordons around grain-exporting Black Sea ports. Putin should be told where to shove his contemptible attempts at nuclear blackmail.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... -is-it-for

[Powers]

Nato’s failure to save Ukraine raises an existential question: what on earth is it for?

Resist against the next invasion.