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23 May 24. Poland and Greece urge EU to create common air shield, says Polish PM. Polish and Greek prime ministers submitted a letter to the European Commision on Thursday urging the creation of a Europe-wide air defence system, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said.
The importance of air defence has been in sharper focus for Poland, which borders Ukraine and has seen missiles enter its airspace.
“I sent a letter to the European Commission, together with (Greek) Prime Minister Mitsotakis, regarding a common European defence policy,” Tusk said during an interview with TVP Info on Thursday evening.
“There is already a very positive reaction from the European Commission to make anti-missile air defence a common task for Europe, because it is a huge amount of money,” he added.
He also said European countries should stop competing while creating their air defence systems and start cooperation, including on joint investments in the defence industry.
“We need less fragmentation and common projects. Like an air defence shield as proposed by Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Donald Tusk,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on social media platform X on Thursday.
In April Tusk said Polish generals and the head of the National Security Bureau Jacek Siewiera had told him it was a good idea for Poland to be part of several air defence projects.
“Only a strong, united Europe that pursues a common defence policy… will be able to prevent war. We are preparing for war not because this war is going to happen, but so that it won’t happen,” Tusk said on Thursday. (Source: Reuters)
23 May 24. Baltic States propose 2.5% Nato defence spending target, ACDC. The meeting of Baltic States Defence Ministers contained discussions for further strengthening regional cooperation with the joint procurement of naval vessels, and armaments for the Baltic defence line.
Baltic States defenced ministers proposed a rise in Nato defence spending targets to 2.5% of GDP as part of a new Allied Capability Delivery Commitment (ACDC) capability development initiative, and announced that Latvia and Lithuania would be joining Estonia in spending 3% on defence, at a meeting in Palanga, Lithuania on 22 May 2024.
“For us, the executability of Nato’s defence plans is critically important. ” said Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur. “I am glad that the Baltic States are setting an example for the Allies.”
UK Minister of Defence Grant Shapps made similar statements in his keynote speech at the London Defence Conference on the same day, stating that he will make the “unambiguous case for 2.5% to become the new Nato standard,” in the Summer.
This statement was given before Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s 22 May announcement of a General Election to be held on the 4 July 2024, five days before the next Nato Summit, drawing into question whether the government under which Shapps serves will be in post to put this case forward to Nato. The UK government stated an intent to spend 2.5% of its GDP on defence by 2030.
The meeting of Baltic States Defence Ministers contained discussions for further strengthening regional cooperation with the joint procurement of naval vessels, and armaments for the Baltic defence line, according to Pevkur.
“We have good examples where we jointly procure, for instance, air defence systems or vehicles, but we need to further intensify our cooperation,” said Pevkur. “Joint procurements help everyone save money, ensure better interoperability, and provide for common spare parts, maintenance, and training,”
A release from Estonia’s Ministry of Defence said ministers had also discussed the Naval Vision 2030+ cooperation framework that sees joint activities between Baltic Navies.
A paper published by the Latvian Institute of International Affairs describes this framework as a route Baltic States are taking to find common solutions in the maritime domain, founded in an awareness that Nato naval resources may be overtaxed in the event of a crisis, and that Baltic navies may be found lacking if charged with supporting operations in the Baltic Sea in isolation. (Source: army-technology.com)
23 May 24. Swedish Commander Warns of Putin’s Ambitions in the Baltic Sea. Russian President Vladimir Putin may be seeking to dominate the Baltic Sea and is eyeing the strategically vital Swedish island of Gotland, according to Micael Bydén, the supreme commander of the Swedish Armed Forces. In an interview with German media network RND on May 22, Bydén expressed concerns about Putin’s intentions following Russia’s plans to unilaterally alter its maritime borders with Lithuania and Finland.
On May 21, Russia announced its intention to change the maritime borders in the Baltic Sea, aiming to appropriate inland sea waters in the Gulf of Finland and near the cities of Baltiysk and Zelenogradsk in Kaliningrad Oblast. This move, outlined in a decree by the Russian Defense Ministry, has raised alarms among Baltic nations and NATO members.
Bydén emphasized the strategic importance of Gotland, Sweden’s largest island, which lies about 330 kilometers north of Kaliningrad, home to Russia’s Baltic Fleet headquarters. “Who controls Gotland controls the Baltic Sea,” Bydén said, underscoring that control over the island would allow Russia to threaten NATO countries from the sea, disrupting peace and stability in the Nordic and Baltic regions.
Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Sweden has bolstered its defenses on Gotland by stationing permanent troops and maintaining additional forces that can be deployed if the threat level rises. This defensive posture was reinforced when Sweden joined NATO on March 7, 2024, abandoning over 200 years of military neutrality in response to Russian aggression.
Despite these measures, Bydén warned that Putin’s ambitions could still destabilize the region. The Russian military’s recent activities, including the presence of “shadow tankers” in Sweden’s exclusive economic zone near Gotland, have added to the tension. These tankers, part of an estimated 1,400-ship fleet operating unofficially, pose a challenge for NATO’s defensive capabilities. (Source: https://www.sofx.com/)
22 May 24. German defence minister not ready to compromise on 2025 budget demand. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said on Wednesday he was not prepared to lower his demands for the 2025 defence budget or accept a compromise right now.
Speaking during a visit to Pabrade training ground in Lithuania, he told reporters he would neither disclose his negotiating strategy in talks with the finance minister nor send any signal whether he saw room for compromise.
“I am not prepared to do either,” he said, responding to a question whether he might step back from his demand of topping up the 2025 defence budget by 6.7bn euros ($7.3bn).
Due to the spending requests from ministries, the ruling coalition of Social Democrats (SPD), Greens and Free Democrats (FDP) will hold further talks on next year’s budget.
Germany has for years been criticized for spending too little on defence, effectively relying on the United States to underpin its security despite being Europe’s biggest economy.
A 100 billion euro special fund created to modernise the German armed forces (Bundeswehr) following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 will be exhausted in 2028 at the latest.
Pistorius argues, however, that the German military will need more money before then, or risk procurement being paralysed as there is little funding left for investment.
Despite tricky negotiations, Finance Minister Christian Lindner said he still expects the cabinet to approve a first draft of the budget on July 3 before it goes to the lower house of parliament in September.
($1 = 0.9230 euros) (Source: Reuters)
22 May 24. Rishi Sunak has taken a huge gamble by announcing a July 4 election, propelling his Conservatives into a six-week election campaign with the party trailing Labour by more than 20 points in opinion polls. Standing in a rain-lashed Downing Street, Sunak set his sights on an unlikely fifth consecutive Tory election victory, declaring: “Now is the moment for Britain to choose its future.” The UK prime minister said he had spoken to King Charles on Wednesday and the monarch had agreed to dissolve parliament on May 30. But the campaign is already in full swing. Party officials say Sunak made his move after concluding with chancellor Jeremy Hunt that there was no point holding out until the autumn in the hope of better economic news coming to the rescue. Sunak told the cabinet of his decision on Wednesday afternoon, and announced the election as a nearby loudspeaker blasted the Labour anthem Things Can Only Get Better. “Only a Conservative government led by me will not put our hard-earned economic stability at risk,” he said, casting himself as the best person to protect Britain in perilous times. But the scale of his task is enormous. The FT’s poll tracker puts the Conservatives on 23 per cent, matching the nadir of Liz Truss’s brief premiership in 2022, while Ladbrokes offered 25-1 on a Tory majority. Sunak is hopeful recent good economic news — including a fall in inflation and a return to growth — will provide a solid platform to close the gaping poll gap. “I will do everything in my power to provide you with the strongest possible protection I can,” he said, claiming Britain could not “trust” Sir Keir Starmer to take tough decisions. While Sunak warned of the dangers of switching to Labour, Starmer embraced “change” repeatedly in an address to the nation that took place against a wood-panelled backdrop adorned with Union Jack flags. “Together we can stop the chaos, turn the page, start to rebuild Britain and change our country,” he said. He admitted voters were cynical about politicians, but said: “The future of the country is in your hands.” (Source: FT.com)
21 May 24. Defense Minister: Finland Supports Global Security. Finland, which became a NATO member a year ago, will make the alliance stronger, Finnish Defense Minister Antti Hakkanen said. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III hosted an enhanced honor cordon and meeting today, welcoming Hakkanen to the Pentagon. Finland has been a steadfast partner of Ukraine and will continue to support its defense, Hakkanen said. But Finland is also interested in global security, he said, mentioning that today’s discussion will include developments in the Middle East and in the Indo-Pacific. Also, as an Arctic nation, Finland plans to hold exercises there in a few days, he said. The defense minister noted that Finland spends 2.3% of gross domestic product on defense, a higher percentage than NATO’s target goal of 2% for its 32 member nations. Finland also has a unique conscription system, he said, noting that of Finland’s 5.5m people, nearly a million have received military training, which is considered a large portion of the population. In conclusion, Hakkanen said: “Europe needs a strong United States. But in the era of strategic competition, the United States, also needs to have a strong Europe.” Austin said he’s “grateful for Finland’s determination to tackle regional and global security challenges. Finland has stood strong with Ukraine as it continues to fight back against Putin’s unprovoked aggression. Finland has committed more than $2bn in security assistance to Ukraine since Moscow’s full-scale invasion in February of 2022, and those donations have helped meet Ukraine’s urgent needs on the battlefield, and they have made a real difference for the security of both Ukraine and Europe as a whole.
“The United States is also grateful for Finland’s commitment to our bilateral defense relationship, and we look forward to working together to implement the Defense Cooperation Agreement that we signed in December. I’m eager to hear your views on areas where we can build our defensive capabilities, strengthen our interoperability and deepen the security bond between our two militaries,” Austin said. (Source: U.S. DoD)
21 May 24. UK strengthens ties with Finland in vow to support Ukraine. The UK and Finland have signed a strategic partnership declaring Russia as the most significant and direct threat to European peace and stability.
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron and Finnish Foreign Minister Elina Valtonen sign the Joint Declaration on the Strategic Partnership between the UK and Finland in London.
- UK and Finland set out commitment to bolster ties and highlight risk of Russian aggression for European security
- Foreign Secretary will sign new Strategic Partnership with Finnish counterpart to deepen bilateral cooperation
- Declaration sets out the 2 countries’ ambition to work together on global security challenges and support Ukraine until the war is won
Finland and the UK will declare Russia as the most significant and direct threat to European peace and stability in a new Strategic Partnership signed today.
The agreement, which will bolster the relationship between the 2 countries, will be endorsed by Foreign Secretary David Cameron and his Finnish counterpart Elina Valtonen at an event in London.
The UK and Finland already share a long history of defence cooperation, including through military exercises and training, with the UK instrumental in securing Finland’s NATO accession. Today’s renewed partnership will expand cooperation across a range of other areas.
Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron said:
As long-standing partners and new NATO Allies, the UK’s relationship with Finland is going from strength to strength.
As we stand together to support Ukraine, including through providing military aid and training, we are clear that the threat of Russian aggression, following the war it started, will not be tolerated.
This Strategic Partnership, built on our shared values, will see the UK and Finland step up cooperation to bolster European security as well as seize new opportunities, from science and technology to closer energy ties.
A joint statement between the 2 foreign ministers will set out how Russia’s illegal, full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine has fundamentally changed the European security environment.
It will underline the importance of the bilateral partnership, working together to deny Russia any benefit from the war it started, counter Russian disinformation, malicious cyber activities, and hybrid threats, and support Ukraine’s recovery, reconstruction, and modernisation.
The text will also outline the shared ambition to scale up collaboration on science and technology, trade and investment and tackling illegal migration. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
21 May 24. Kosovo: Closure of Serbian banks will likely drive bilateral tensions; domestic unrest is possible. On 29 May, the Kosovar police closed six branches of a Serbian bank in the country’s Serb-majority North Kosovo region. The move comes almost four months after Kosovo passed a law ruling that the euro (EUR) is the only legal tender. The ruling will impact Serbs in northern areas who use the Serbian dinar (RSD), especially as Serbia funds the region with tens of ms of dinars annually. The ruling will therefore likely have a significant impact on the region as residents who rely on RSD payments must now cross the border to collect dinars. Serbian politicians reacted negatively and expressed incendiary language regarding the decision. Despite Kosovo presenting mitigating options such as free EUR bank accounts for Kosovar Serbs, there is a realistic possibility that Serbia will reject these offers, increasing bilateral tensions further. Domestic unrest in North Kosovo is a realistic scenario, especially in light of elevated ethnic tensions in the region over the past year. However, we assess that the presence of NATO and EU peacekeeping forces will likely mitigate this risk moderately. (Source: Sibylline)
20 May 24. Fraudsters have stolen almost £1bn from Ministry of Defence since 2010. Losses could have paid for up to 127 Challenger tanks or 12 F-35 Lightning combat jets, which cost around £88m each.
Fraudsters have stolen almost £1bn from the Ministry of Defence since 2010, official figures show.
The disclosure has prompted accusations that the MoD is seen as a “soft touch for thieves and corrupt government officials”, according to one senior civil servant.
The figures show that almost every area of defence, from personal expenses to the procurement of weapons, aircraft, and ships, has fallen victim to fraud costing the country millions.
The £1bn losses could have paid for up to 127 Challenger tanks or 12 F-35 Lightning combat jets, which cost around £88m each.
The figures also show that the MoD was being ripped off from within by members of the Armed Forces and civil servants, who have fraudulently claimed over £6 m in fake expenses for items such as food and travel costs.
But by far the largest loss was associated with procurement of equipment for both the Civil Service and the Armed Forces and accounted for just over £600 m costs since 2020.
Fraud has also been detected in pensions payments, recruitment, cyber and communication, personnel management and the Armed Forces’ joint personnel administration computer system.
In recent years, there have been allegations that the MoD paid ms of pounds to a firm that was a conduit for secret payments to Saudi officials, along with warnings that a £3.2bn delayed battlefield system could become a “disaster”.
Theft of defence assets has also increased, from costing the Government £19,000 between 2019 and 2020 to £1.38m between 2023 and 2024.
From 2019, the detected cost of fraud in the MoD shot up considerably, driven by rising procurement fraud costs. From 2019-2020 the costs rose to £52.97m. They were then £57.27m in 2020-21 before rising to £147.24m between 2021 and 2022.
The figures, released in answer to a parliamentary question, show that total detected fraud has surged from £240,000 in 2010-11 to £224.05m in 2023-24.
Aside from tax and benefit fraud, which last year cost the UK an estimated £10 bn and £6 bn respectively, the MoD has the highest fraud costs in Government, according to a senior civil servant speaking on the grounds of anonymity.
“The statistics show that this has been steadily increasing over the last 10 years,” said the senior civil servant.
Mark Francois, a former Armed Forces minister, said: “At a time when the defence budget is under great pressure, every pound lost to fraud is a tragedy in itself.”
‘All cases are thoroughly investigated’
The true level of fraud could be even higher, and the costs are unlikely to be uncovered for several years. A National Audit Office report last year said the MoD’s fraud defence team estimated that the department could have been exposed to nearly £1.4bn of fraud loss in 2021-22 alone.
The report said this was based on assumptions that “4.8 per cent of its annual procurement spend and 1.7 per cent of its staff costs are fraudulent”.
A defence committee report last month warned of a recruitment crisis, stating that the Armed Forces were “losing personnel faster than they can recruit” and are “consistently overstretched”.
A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “As these figures reflect, we have significantly improved our measures to detect fraud in recent years, including procurement fraud which is the highest priority. To safeguard taxpayers’ money, all cases are thoroughly investigated and, where necessary, referred to the police.
“We are committed to tackling fraud more widely, from establishing a dedicated Public Sector Fraud Authority, which delivered £311m in audited counter fraud benefits in its first year, launching an Online Fraud Charter and introducing a national public awareness campaign to make it easier for people to spot fraud.” (Source: Daily Telegraph)
17 May 24. German defence industry says it will need government help to reduce dependence on China. German arms producers will need help from the government if they are to reduce their dependency on Chinese materials and still be able to compete with U.S. companies, Germany’s defence industry association said.
Hans Christoph Atzpodien, head of the Bundesverband der Deutschen Sicherheits- und Verteidigungsindustrie (BDSV), said the U.S. defence industry had, under government pressure, widely shed their dependency on Beijing in recent years.
German arms producers have not been forced to follow suit, but are bound to come under pressure to do so sooner or later, Atzpodien said.
“If we don’t follow their (U.S.) example, we will eventually come under pressure (to do so),” he told Reuters in an interview this week.
Berlin’s awareness of the situation has increased but the domestic defence industry is still waiting for concrete steps to be taken, he said.
“One could consider establishing national reserves for resources that are especially crucial,” he said, alluding to existing oil and gas reserves.
“One could also follow the American example and use public money to reduce dependencies (on China) in the making of defence products, paying a premium for goods that have been manufactured without Chinese raw materials.”
CHINA STRATEGY
U.S. President Joe Biden unveiled steep tariff increases on an array of Chinese imports, and Germany is also concerned by the flood of cheaper imports from China.
Berlin outlined the need to reduce strategic dependencies on Chinese goods in its first China strategy announcement last year, citing “unfair practises” and political differences. The U.S. overtook China as Germany’s most important trading partner in the first quarter of this year, according to Reuters’ calculations based on official data.
Anxiety about alleged Chinese spying – dismissed by Beijing – has also grown, with three German nationals arrested last month on suspicion of handing over technology with military applications. (Source: Reuters)
17 May 24. Romania’s defence modernisation strategy. An in-depth look into Romania’s defence spending surge, procurement processes, and market dynamics. As geopolitical tensions continue to simmer in Eastern Europe, Romania emerges as a player in shaping the region’s defence landscape.
An analysis of Romania’s defence sector reveals a multifaceted approach, spanning budgetary surges, procurement strategies, and market dynamics.
In response to rising regional threats, Romania’s defence budget has surged, exceeding Nato targets and signalling a shift in priorities. According to GlobalData’s “Romania Defense Market 2024-2029” report, the country’s defence expenditure has surged by 53.3% since 2023, with a projected cumulative spend of $46.3bn (213.4bn lei) for 2025-2029. Notably, Romania consistently allocates over 3% of its GDP to defence spending, demonstrating a commitment to regional security.
A focus accompanies this surge in defence spending on modernisation efforts across all military branches. For the Romanian Army, investments are channelled towards replacing outdated equipment with modern platforms like the K9 Thunder artillery gun. Similarly, the Romanian Air Force prioritises the acquisition of aircraft such as the F-35A fighter jet, while the Navy focuses on modernising its naval vessels to enhance power projection capabilities in the Black Sea region.
Romania recently received US approval to acquire AIM-9X Sidewinder Block II missiles. The decision to equip Romania’s F-16 fleet with these air-to-air missiles comes amid heightened security concerns in the region.
While defence spending is a cornerstone of Romania’s security strategy, the nation’s defence procurement ecosystem is equally important in enhancing its capabilities. From the Ministry of National Defense (MoND) to European funds and trade associations, Romania’s procurement processes are characterised by transparency, accountability, and collaboration.
The MoND is the primary contracting authority, overseeing procurement strategies and resource allocation to align with capability demands. Parliamentary approval is sought for significant programmes, ensuring transparency and oversight. Additionally, Romania leverages European funds such as the European Defense Fund (EDF) and Nato funding schemes to catalyse research, innovation, and industrial development. Romania offers surveillance for NATO forces.
Furthermore, EU directives and offset policies shape Romania’s defence market, fostering international cooperation and technology transfer. While political inertia and corruption persist, Romania remains committed to modernising its defence industry and bolstering its partnerships.
(Source: army-technology.com)
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