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26 Dec 23. A Turkish parliamentary committee has approved Sweden’s application to join Nato, lifting one of the last hurdles to the long-stalled entry bid that the alliance has said is critical for Europe’s security after Russia’s full invasion of Ukraine. The assent of the foreign affairs committee on Tuesday means the agreement of Turkey’s parliament is the final step needed to ratify Stockholm’s bid, although it was not immediately clear when that vote would be held. Hungary has also withheld its approval of the bloc’s expansion, linking its consent to Turkey’s stance. Sweden dropped its centuries-old policy of military non-alignment after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, applying with its neighbour Finland to join Nato. Turkey approved Finland’s bid this year, and US President Joe Biden and European leaders have urged Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to admit Sweden, arguing that it would strengthen the bloc’s defences. But Erdoğan opposed the Nordic country’s entry, demanding it first crack down on Kurdish and other political dissidents whom he views as “terrorists”. Sweden passed an anti-terrorism law this year and a court jailed a man for funding the armed Kurdistan Workers’ party, listed as a terrorist organisation by Turkey and the EU. Fuat Oktay, head of the foreign relations committee and member of the ruling party, was quoted as telling lawmakers during the debate that Erdoğan’s government was “pleased” with the measures Stockholm had taken, though it expected more work to halt financing of terrorism. Erdoğan has also linked ratification to the sale of F-16 fighter jets from the US, saying this month that he expected Washington to “simultaneously” approve the sale of the warplanes in exchange for the green light on Sweden. “There is progress on the F-16 issue. Our president confirmed with the US president in very clear terms that [Biden] will undertake efforts on the F-16s in Congress after Sweden becomes a member,” deputy foreign minister Burak Akçapar told the parliamentary committee during the debate, according to Anka news agency. Biden and Erdoğan held a phone call this month to discuss Sweden’s application to Nato and Turkey’s desire to buy the 40 new F-16s and modernisation kits for its existing fleet. Biden has backed the sale of bns of dollars worth of jets to Ankara, but some members of Congress remain opposed because of Turkey’s rights record, its ties with Russia and other issues that divide the Nato allies. Erdoğan’s vocal support for Hamas after its October 7 attack on Israel and his criticism of the backing the US has given Israel’s offensive has also raised concerns in Congress, US officials have said.
(Source: FT.com)
21 Dec 23. Tony Radakin and defence chiefs ‘gagged by paranoid Rishi Sunak.’ Prime minister accused of blocking military leaders from speaking
UK military and intelligence leaders silenced by Rishi Sunak, sources claim
Senior figures, including Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, ‘prevented from speaking publicly’
Move sparks anger within civil service, with concerns over loss of expert perspectives
Some of the UK’s top military and spy chiefs, including the head of the armed forces, have been gagged by Downing Street, causing fury in the civil service, sources have told The Times.
No 10 has told several press officers that there is a “ministers only” rule in place preventing unelected senior leaders from giving interviews or, in some cases, from making any public statements at all.
Although the precise reason is not clear, one source suggested that it was because of general paranoia over government messaging before next year’s election.
The unofficial policy has infuriated civil servants who believe there is an important value in having top military and security experts offer their perspectives as the world becomes more dangerous.
A Whitehall source said it was “utterly ridiculous”, adding: “It is overly controlling, which is short-sighted and isn’t beneficial to anyone.” They said senior military officers and the heads of the spy agencies MI5, MI6 and GCHQ could add “context, value and expertise” and that the control in No 10 was worse underRishi Sunak than under previous prime ministers. They were told that “anything good to say should be said by ministers”.
The government said the allegation that No 10 had stopped senior figures from speaking was “not true”, adding: “High-profile public figures including defence and diplomatic staff have spoken to media in recent months.”
Sunak was said to be particularly livid about a speech by one of the spy chiefs when he came into No 10. His annoyance was aggravated further when Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, chief of the defence staff, gave an interview a few weeks later. Radakin told a newspaper that the armed forces were not “spare capacity” for striking workers, and cautioned against relying on the military as the “ultimate backstop” during industrial action.
General Sir Patrick Sanders, chief of the general staff, is also believed to have angered No 10 by criticising the government over troop numbers. Other minor comments by more junior officers are also said to have riled Sunak.
As a result, Radakin and Sanders, both considered highly competent chiefs, are said to have been prevented on several occasions from speaking to the media.
In a break with tradition, Radakin was blocked from giving interviews on Remembrance Sunday. Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, was put forward to go on the airwaves instead. In previous years the head of the armed forces has toured the television studios, partly to pay tribute to those soldiers who have lost their lives.
However, a defence source said one of the “biggest battles” with No 10 had been in September, when the Ministry of Defence had to push Downing Street to allow a joint interview with General Mark Milley, his US counterpart at the time.
“It was so embarrassing in front of the Yanks,” they said. It is thought that Radakin had no idea of the discussions behind the scenes. He was allowed to give his annual lecture at the Royal United Services Institute this month and answer questions on the record, as he has done previously. The event had been long planned.
Some spy agencies have also been blocked from issuing statements about specific events, a second Whitehall source said. One department dealing with security issues was told it could issue only “reactive” statements, rather than anything proactive, in case it distracted from the No 10 agenda.
There have been exceptions, including spy chiefs allowed to give interviews related to big events. Anne Keast-Butler, the new director of GCHQ, was allowed to give an interview to the BBC about artificial intelligence in early November. Ken McCallum, the head of MI5, spoke to Sky about the conflict in Gaza and Israel in October. (Source: The Times)
BATTLESPACE Comment: Micro-management of the MoD Press process ahs been going on for years and has resulted in numerous complaints and comments from journalists. Specialist magazines and web sites have been barred from reporting on key Army initiatives such as AWE and Exercises. The sudden departure of Gen. Sir Patrick Sanders was foreseen as he was tring to get his message about the future size and capability of the Army across to the media. His vison did not tally with the Government and Treasury in particular.
20 Dec 23. Netherlands Purchases Equipment to Protect North Sea Infrastructure. Defense Purchases Resources and Equipment to Protect the North Sea. Defense purchases cameras and radar systems for oil rigs and wind turbines at sea. The armed forces are also investing in satellite data. With these observation tools, threats to vital infrastructure on the seabed can be identified earlier. Defense is also purchasing two new ships for the security of the North Sea, State Secretary Christophe van der Maat informed the House of Representatives today.
Defense has been making a permanent contribution to identifying threats at sea for six months now. This is done in close cooperation with the Coast Guard. By purchasing these resources, the military organization is strengthening its ISR capacity (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance). This capacity contributes to the deterrence of possible perpetrators of sabotage and espionage.
Satellites
The threat mainly consists of surface ships whose crews carry out unwanted activities underwater. This includes, for example, exploring or damaging oil and gas pipelines or internet cables. It is now a lot more difficult for these types of malicious people to do this unnoticed. Because satellites with a ‘synthetic aperture radar’ also recognize vessels that have switched off their identification system.
Defense monitors the Dutch area of responsibility in the North Sea, but also adjacent areas. This also involves cooperation with other countries. Ships that may pose a threat can thus be detected earlier. Defense is purchasing satellite capacity commercially for the time being. From 2027, the armed forces will have their own.
Two new ships
Defense is also purchasing two new, relatively simple ships for the security of the North Sea. They will have a small crew and be equipped with sensors and underwater equipment to investigate suspicious situations. The minister will send a letter to the House about these vessels in 2024.
Cooperation
In addition to Defense, other agencies also contribute to the protection of the vital infrastructure in the North Sea. Several ministries work together in the North Sea Infrastructure Protection Program. The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has a pioneering role in this.
The Netherlands also collaborates internationally with countries bordering the North Sea. Defense does this within NATO, the Joint Expeditionary Force and the Northern Naval Capability Cooperation. Within the latter context, a research center was recently opened in The Hague for the purpose of securing submarine infrastructure, the so-called Seabed Security Experimentation Center. (Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Netherlands Ministry of Defense; issued Dec 19, 2023)
20 Dec 23. Swedish Defence Committee Submits Total Defence Report. On Tuesday, December 19, 2023, the Defense Committee submitted its report Force Collection to the Minister of Defense Pål Jonson and the Minister for Civil Defense Carl-Oskar Bohlin.
In the report, the Defense Committee states that it is time for action.
The security policy situation is the most serious since the end of the Second World War, and Sweden needs to design its security policy and dimension its total defense according to the scope of the threat Russia poses for a long time to come.
The defense committee believes that the civil defense must soon develop a higher combined overall defense capability. The build-up takes place from a low level. The pace of preparation, readiness and capability within the entire total defence, both military and civil defence, must therefore be increased urgently. The Defense Committee believes that the realization of this needs to permeate all parts of society and be the main driving force for the development of the combined capabilities of the total defense in the coming years.
The defense committee further states that tasks, regulations, responsibilities and the possibility of building a higher overall defense capability are partly in place, but there is a lack of social planning, a culture and an approach by decision-makers in both public and private activities that is based on the demands of a war . The report points to the importance of clear and flexible leadership cannot be emphasized enough.
Furthermore, the Defense Committee underlines that the basis for total defense ultimately consists of the population of Sweden. Everyone has a role to play in the total defense. Ukraine has clearly demonstrated how the population’s resilience and willingness to defend are crucial to resisting an attack. The total defense must be dimensioned over time to defend Sweden against an armed attack and contribute to the defense of allies.
A strong Swedish total defense that is war deterrent will form part of NATO’s combined deterrence capability and is thus conflict prevention and ultimately peacekeeping. That Sweden, together with other allies, maintains faith in the collective defense guarantees is central to NATO’s deterrence and thus to preserving peace in the Euro-Atlantic area.
In order to develop the Swedish total defense capability, the Defense Committee proposes, among other things:
— clear leadership and subordination relationships in the civil defense, to transform MSB into an authority to support the government’s coordination of civil defence,
— reestablish a new economic defense,
— the introduction of four new preparedness sectors – foreign trade, supply of industrial goods, labor supply and planning, management and coordination.
— a financial planning framework for civil defense as well as,
— to re-establish a system of war-important enterprises.
Clearer management and obedience relationships in the civil defense.
The defense committee believes that the total defense needs management structures that in peacetime can achieve coherent planning so that operations can be carried out even under the most difficult of stresses. In the event of heightened preparedness and war, the management structures must ensure that society’s collective resources can be distributed, directed, prioritized and coordinated to achieve the greatest possible defense effect. In the case of heightened preparedness and war, the situation is characterized by a high degree of uncertainty as well as by rapid and difficult-to-predict events. This places demands for quick decisions under great uncertainty, where limited resources must be prioritized for extensive needs. The Defense Committee therefore believes that coordination during high alert and war requires clear leadership. The committee therefore submits a number of proposals to ensure this.
The authority for social protection and preparedness is transformed into an authority to support the government’s coordination of civil defense, including responsibility for the new sector for planning, leadership and coordination within civil defense, the work to develop economic defense and peacetime crisis preparedness. The authority for social protection and preparedness (MSB) is therefore proposed to be transformed into an authority to support the government’s coordination of civil defence.
A financial planning framework for civil defense.
Before each defense decision-making period, a long-term level of ambition for civil defense should be determined by specifying a direction and a financial planning framework. According to the Defense Committee, this would create predictability, long-termism and transparency in management, as well as an increased opportunity to prioritize and follow up on results. Financing of investments, maintenance and transfers should be collected in one, or a limited number of, grants.
Increased focus on economic defense, where foreign trade, supply of industrial goods, and labor supply are organized as their own preparedness sectors. The defense committee states that the total defense capability is directly linked to a functioning social economy. In case of heightened preparedness and war, Sweden needs to be able to ensure the needs of total defense for goods and services, the country’s financial stability, the functionality of business and the maintenance of trade with the rest of the world. Labor supply is a fundamental task for a functioning civil defence. In addition, the current contingency structure lacks contingency sectors for foreign trade and the supply of industrial goods. These societal functions are of crucial importance for the maintenance of a functioning economy in the event of war.
The defense committee therefore proposes the introduction of three new preparedness sectors: foreign trade, supply of industrial goods and labor supply. The defense committee does not rule out that additional preparedness sectors may be needed in the future.
A re-established system for war-important companies (k-companies) The Defense Committee believes that Sweden should re-establish a system for k-companies. The core of such a system should be to ensure that the companies that are designated as k-companies have the conditions to carry out operations important to total defense in high alert and war. It can be about the companies’ regular operations as well as changed or additional operations. The Defense Committee considers this to be an important part of an overall economic defense and a part of supply readiness. It is also important for the military defense’s ability to solve its tasks in high alert and war. The defense committee therefore assesses that a re-established system with k-companies is necessary for a credible total defence.
The defense committee’s proposal regarding the military defense and the combined economy for the entire total defense (civilian and military defense) is reported in the final report, which must be submitted no later than April 26, 2024. (Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com) (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/ Swedish Government Office; issued Dec 19, 2023)
20 Dec 23. Germany Faces Tall Task in Reversing Bundeswehr’s Decline. “War has returned to Europe. Germany and its allies once again confront a military threat. The international order is being attacked in Europe and around the world. We are experiencing a turning point, or Zeitenwende, as it is called in German.”
So begins the new German defense policy guidelines (Verteidigungspolitische Richtlinien 2023) released by Germany’s Defense Minister Boris Pistorius on November 10.
The new defense policy guidelines are the first for Germany since 2011 and follow on the country’s first-ever National Security Strategy published earlier this year in June.
Together both documents build upon Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s announcement on February 27, 2022, that Germany would need to undertake a massive shift in defense policy in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
During that announcement at a special session of the Bundestag (German parliament), Scholz outlined two fundamental goals crucial to the revamping of the Bundeswehr:
The elevation of annual German defense spending up to, and above, the 2 percent of GDP minimum NATO budgetary requirement
The ring-fencing and allocation of a one-off €100 bn ($108 bn) “Special Fund” (Sondervermögen) that would fall outside the core defense budget and be used to help modernize and upgrade Bundeswehr equipment.
The Special Fund required opposing political parties in the Bundestag to agree to a change in the German constitution to allow the additional debt, which – due to the amendment passed on June 3, 2022 – effectively allows Berlin’s financial planners to bypass the national Schuldenbremse, or “debt brake”. The debt brake is a rule that limits new federal debt to 3.5 percent of GDP unless the legislature declares there is an economic crisis, as it did from the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 through 2022.
Passage of the measure was both unprecedented and a rare moment of political agreement on a sensitive subject for a nation with an ingrained pacifist culture.
This pacifist outlook – a result of the former West Germany confronting the crimes of the former Nazi regime during the post-Second World War-era – has enabled multiple generations of German politicians to ignore the decrepit state of the Bundeswehr.
The result of this neglect emerged in early 2022, when Bundeswehr Chief, General Alfons Mais, posted on social media that the German Army was more or less depleted and that its pleas for more investment – dating back to Russia’s takeover of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014 – had fallen on deaf ears.
Hence the rebuilding of the Bundeswehr presents a daunting challenge for Pistorius and his ministry.
The latest defense policy guidelines spell out laudable goals: providing for a warfighting-capable military force, reassuring its NATO allies of its ability to project a credible deterrent, and serving as the backbone in the defense of Europe.
But the journey involved in achieving those goals promises to be a long and difficult one.
Despite efforts to improve and increase Bundeswehr recruitment, the German military remains 30,000 troops short of its targeted strength (Emphasis added throughout–Ed.) of 203,000 personnel. Its reserve component – totaling around 34,000 – requires another 60,000 reservists to meet the national goal.
Ammunition stocks are so low that in the event of hostilities they would only last a few days. Ground troops rely on radio equipment that is 40 years old and analogue. German soldiers are quartered in dilapidated barracks and are left to buy their own equipment.
Transporting soldiers and equipment – crucial to rapid response in a European conflict involving a NATO partner – is limited by a legal system and its labyrinth of separate rules and permits over Germany’s 16 states which render moving armored vehicles a logistical nightmare.
For Germany to bring its military up to a more competent standard, much will need to take place. Better training, recruitment, and equipping of troops; the buildup of a robust logistical tail; improvement of the serviceability rates of key platforms; and a shift in public attitude toward the military represent key requirements.
Yet nearly two years since Olaf Scholz made his pronouncement that his government would commit to fielding a stronger, technologically-advanced military there has been little in terms of progress.
While some €30 bn of the €100 bn Special Fund has been earmarked for high-end acquisitions, the delivery timeline for key procurements such as 35 F-35 combat aircraft, 60 CH-47F Block II Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, and a first batch purchase of five P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft will run from 2025 through at least 2030. Meaning key future enablers – while on the way – are not arriving today.
Meanwhile, equipment capabilities transferred to Ukraine have yet to be replaced, which in turn extends the timeline for rearming the Bundeswehr.
Further, Germany’s Court of Auditors noted in the fall of 2022 that the projects set forth for procurement and financed by the Special Fund exceeded the €100bn ring-fenced for acquisition. High inflation and a stronger U.S. dollar were cited as some of the impediments at the time, as were the costs of after-purchase servicing of the expensive new equipment.
Plus, the funding is loaned to the Defense Ministry by the Ministry of Finance at a five percent lenders rate, which coupled with inflation reduced the actual purchasing power of the fund down from €100 bn to €85-€90 bn.
There are also looming questions related to the Special Fund, such as: How fast will this spending unfold, and will it be completed before the next scheduled elections of 2025 when the vagaries of politics intrude? And how efficiently will the traditionally understaffed (and inefficient) Defense Ministry’s military procurement office (BAAINBw) perform during the rearmament process?
The Scholz government can promise to commit more towards the Bundeswehr and Defense Minister Pistorius can outline goals in a document, but in a country where 71 percent of voters reject Berlin’s recent vow to assume a leadership role in the defense of Europe how much follow-through is to be expected through 2025 and beyond? Particularly if the Ukraine conflict is concluded through either armistice or Russia’s victory or defeat?
More importantly, at a time Berlin confronts a €17 bn ($18.3 bn) deficit there are few good alternatives left for Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition but to make spending cuts. In a country where fiscal issues and historical concerns over hyperinflation are in the forefront of voters’ minds, committing to guns over butter is a surefire political loser. And while the government has declared its intention of hitting the 2 percent of GDP target for defense spending, initial plans for 2024 indicate it will continue to fall well short – even with allocations from the Special Fund factored into the planned €52bn ($56bn) defense budget topline.
Right now, what the Bundeswehr has are promises of support and some big-ticket equipment purchases in the pipeline. For a military short of basics such as assault rifles and bandages this is not enough – even if it is more than what it received in past decades.
NATO allies have long lost patience with Berlin over its lack of military capability and commitment, while the German public is less than thrilled with the prospect of remilitarization in any form.
Decades of political decisions and policies have placed Berlin in its current predicament, and it will take no less than a full decade to being pulling the Bundeswehr out from its lowly position. Yet merely doing so comes with no guarantee.
A long and difficult road ahead, indeed. (Source: https://www.defense-aerospace.com/Forecast International)
20 Dec 23. NATO’s highest Military Authority, the Military Committee, will meet in person on 17 and 18 January 2024 in Brussels. Admiral Rob Bauer, Chair of the Military Committee, will preside over the meeting, which will be attended by the Allied Chiefs of Defence and their Invitee counterpart from Sweden. They will be joined by General Christopher Cavoli, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), and General Philippe Lavigne, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT).
The meeting of the NATO Military Committee in Chiefs of Defence Session (MCCS) will enable the Chiefs of Defence to meet and discuss issues of strategic importance to the Alliance.
NATO Deputy Secretary General, Mr. Mircea Geoană will join the Military Committee for the opening session to address the Alliance’s key priorities and challenges.
The first session will see General Cavoli, SACEUR, brief the Chiefs of Defence on the progress made towards the implementation and executability of the DDA Family of Plans that was adopted at the Vilnius Summit in July 2023. Broader discussions will also be held on defence industrial capacity, operational planning and enablement.
General Lavigne, SACT, will brief in the second session and update on the warfighting transformation of NATO. SACT will emphasize the need for overall coherence in achieving collective defence and consolidated deterrence, focusing on key enablers like Multi-Domain Operations, streamlined Command and Control, seamless Interoperability, and continuous improvement of Quality and Quantity capabilities. The Chiefs of Defence will also discuss the roadmap for adapting to current and future threats.
In the third session, the Chiefs of Defence will discuss Integrated Air and Missile Defence in order to improve readiness, preparedness, and interoperability in peacetime, crisis, and times of conflict.
The fourth session will see the Chiefs of Defence provide additional direction and guidance regarding NATO’s military deterrence and defence priorities with a focus on key capability requirements ahead of the Washington D.C. Summit decisions and beyond.
The last session of the first day the Chiefs of Defence will meet for the first time in a NATO-Ukraine Council format. They will discuss Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the situation on the ground, and NATO and Allied continued support to Ukraine.
The second day will begin with the Chiefs of Defence meeting with their Partner Interoperability Advocacy Group (PIAG) counterparts from Australia, Austria, Ireland, New Zealand and Switzerland. The PIAG Nations hold non-NATO Nation Status, granting an individual security agreement that allows the exchange of classified information and participation in NATO training and exercises. Discussions will focus on current and future military interoperability opportunities.
The next session will have the Allied and Invitee Chiefs of Defence meeting with their counterparts from NATO’s Indo-Pacific Partners: Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea. Discussions will include the strategic security situation in the Indo-Pacific, regional challenges and their implications for global security.
The final session will see the NATO Secretary General, Mr. Jens Stoltenberg meet with the Allied and Invitee Chiefs of Defence. Discussions will focus on current political objectives and guidance ahead of the Defence Ministerial in February 2024 and the Washington D.C Summit in July 2024. (Source: NATO)
19 Dec 23. The US will be able to base soldiers and equipment permanently in Denmark after the Scandinavian country reversed decades of foreign policy to become the last nation in the region to sign a defence co-operation agreement with Washington. Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine last year has pushed Sweden, Finland and Denmark all to sign such deals with the US in recent days, a way of deepening security ties with the main military force in the west. “We are sending a clear signal that Denmark, together with the US, is taking even greater responsibility for Danish security — and that is absolutely necessary,” Mette Frederiksen, Denmark’s prime minister, said on Tuesday. “The goal is: we must ensure peace not only now, but for the generations that come after us.” Denmark has since the 1950s had a policy of not allowing foreign troops or nuclear weapons on its soil. Nuclear weapons will not be based in Denmark under the new 10-year agreement, but US troops will be allowed on three Danish air bases where — as is customary under such deals — they will be subject to US law. All seven other Nordic and Baltic countries have defence co-operation agreements in addition to their membership of Nato, or in Sweden’s case its pending application to join the defence alliance. The Nordic and Baltic regions have become a key western military and diplomatic focus following Russia’s full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine in 2022. Finland’s addition to Nato in April doubled the length of the defence alliance’s border with Russia because of its 1,340km frontier. That border is currently closed after Russia encouraged undocumented asylum seekers to enter Finland without permission. Nordic countries are increasingly discussing how they can integrate their own militaries, which are already closely linked and hold frequent joint training missions. Swedish Gripen and Norwegian F-35 fighter jets have taken off and landed on Finnish roads with their Nordic neighbours. Recommended Martin Sandbu ‘Ukraine fatigue’ is a problem of western leaders’ own making “The future is to play to each of our strengths. Finland is strong in land forces, Sweden is stronger in navy, and Norway has good expertise in the Arctic,” said one Nordic diplomat. The US-Danish relationship was strained a few years ago when former American president Donald Trump floated the idea of buying Greenland, the semi-autonomous territory that is part of the kingdom of Denmark. He lashed out at Frederiksen when she insisted it was not for sale. Danish ministers on Tuesday brushed aside questions about what would happen if Trump returns to power in elections next year, insisting that the 10-year defence co-operation agreement was the right one whoever is in power in Washington. Frederiksen said: “It is always wise to have as close co-operation with the US as possible. It must not be possible to get even a sheet of paper between the Danish and American relationship.” (Source: FT.com)
15 Dec 23. U.S., Baltic States Sign Bilateral 5-Year Roadmaps for Defense Cooperation. Dr. Celeste Wallander, Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs, hosted a triple signing ceremony today for the bilateral defense cooperation roadmaps with the defense policy directors from Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania at the Pentagon.
Allies were represented by Tuuli Duneton, the Undersecretary for Defence Policy for the Republic of Estonia; Rolands Heniņš, the Undersecretary of State for Defence Policy for the Republic of Latvia; and Dr. Vaidotas Urbelis, the Defence Policy Director for the Republic of Lithuania.
The foundation for strong allied relations between the Baltic States and the United States has been long-term and multifaceted cooperation. The defense cooperation roadmaps are intended to guide the collaborative relationships for defense and national security through 2028 as the nation’s work toward enhancing capability and interoperability between U.S. and the Estonian, Latvian, and Lithuanian armed forces.
All bilateral cooperation roadmaps prioritize actions to help the countries achieve NATO capability targets as well as support NATO’s ability to build credible deterrence to counter threats to the region. Additionally, the agreements convey the Secretary of Defense’s intention to provide heel-to-toe persistent rotational presence of U.S. forces in each Baltic State. The roadmaps promote defense cooperation in integrated air and missile defense, maritime domain awareness, cyber, irregular warfare, participation in international military operations and exercises, infrastructure development, and training. (Source: U.S. DoD)
18 Dec 23. Serbia: Policy continuity is highly likely after party secures re-election; near-term protests are likely. On 17 December, Serbia held parliamentary and local elections. Preliminary results indicate that the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) won the general election with nearly 47% of the vote. Given that SNS allies also secured seats in parliament, we assess that the party of President Aleksandr Vučić will form and spearhead a new government with ease. This would represent continuity and pose only limited policy risks for businesses. However, opposition and independent monitors have reported widespread voting irregularities, particularly in the Belgrade City Assembly election, which the SNS reportedly won by a narrow margin. The Serbia Against Violence (SPN) opposition coalition alleged that over 40,000 non-Belgrade residents were bussed in to participate. The SPN plans to protest the result in central areas of the capital Belgrade on 18 December at 1800hrs (local time). There is a realistic possibility that the SPN will stage further demonstrations in the coming days, though these will likely remain largely peaceful. (Source: Sibylline)
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