Contents tagged with NATO

  • Estonia urges NATO to place Patriot anti-aircraft systems in the Baltic States

    Estonian news portal Delfi reported that Riho Terras, the Estonian Defense Forces Commander, stated that the Baltic countries need Patriot missile systems to deter Russia from attacking.

    He noted that insufficient air defense makes the Baltic region vulnurable to possible surprise attacks from Russia. According to Terras, NATO has the ability to increase the strength of the Air Force stationed in the region and form batteries of Patriot systems.

    "For our defense capability it is very …

  • Visegrad Four Defense Ministers agree that NATO should strengthen its eastern flank

    According to Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz, the Visegrad Four countries agree that NATO needs to strengthen its eastern border, Radio Polsha reported.

    "Strengthening of the eastern flank of NATO should be a priority for the Alliance. The Visegrad countries agree that NATO forces should be placed in Poland and the Baltic countries,” Macierewicz said on May 27th after meeting with the defense ministers of Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

    “Poland has the responsibility for …

  • Estonia urges NATO to increase its presence in the Baltic states

    A strong NATO presence is required in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, according to Estonian Prime Minister Taavi Rõivas.

    “We need NATO to provide a permanent military presence in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. These forces may be subjected to a rotational schedule,” Rõivas said this in an interview with Die Welt newspaper, which was published on the 26th of May.

    He stressed the need for the constant presence of these troops. “These troops should always be present to act as a deterrence,” Rõ …

  • NATO provides Ukraine with demining equipment

    The State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SESU) received equipment from NATO for pyrotechnical experts who carry out the de-mining of the Donbas region. The ceremony of transfer of equipment was held on Thursday in Kiev, Interfax-Ukraine reported.

    NATO Assistant Secretary General for Emerging Security Challenges Sorin Ducary, who attended the ceremony, noted that the equipment was transferred within the boundaries of the NATO program. Assistance to humanitarian mine clearance in Ukraine was …

  • NATO 'Saber Strike 2016' exercise begins in the Baltic states

    The large-scale NATO exercise Saber Strike 2016 have begun in the Baltic states, which are aimed at improving interaction between member states in a wide range on military operations.

    10,000 soldiers from 13 member states and partner countries are participating in the exercise.

    As stated on the US Army-Europe’s website, “Saber Strike 16 features allied and partner-nation ground forces conducting live-fire, command post, and cyber/electronic warfare training, plus the integration of U.S. close- …

  • Sweden has approved an agreement that will allow NATO troops to be placed in the country

    On Wednesday, the Swedish Parliament voted in favor of the so-called Host Nation Support Agreement (HNSA). This agreement may allow NATO to deploy its forces to the country. This was reported by The Local.

    Sweden signed the agreement with NATO in September 2014. The document allows the Alliance to transport helicopters, aircraft and ships through Swedish territory, but only at the invitation of Sweden.

    Due to the fact the agreement calls for changes in Swedish law to allow NATO military …

  • At NATO summit 'package of consistent support for Ukraine' will be adopted

    At the NATO summit in Warsaw, “a package of consistent support for Ukraine” will be adopted.

    According to a UNIAN correspondent, this was said by the Director of the NATO Liaison Office in Ukraine, Alexander Vinnikov. He said this while attending the third International Conference entitled ‘Management and the reform of the national security and intelligence services: the best international practice’ in Kiev.

    Vinnikov has said that NATO “has supported Ukraine more and more politically and  …

  • General Pavel: NATO will respond to future Russian aggression in Ukraine

    The Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, General Petr Pavel, has said that if Russia takes any aggressive action against NATO members in the East, the Alliance will have to respond. Pavel was referencing Russia’s actions against Crimea and Ukraine.

    On the 24th of May, Pavel told Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that the increase of the Alliance’s military forces on its eastern flank is in direct response to Russia’s military actions towards Georgia, Ukraine and Syria.

    General Pavel, who …

  • Portuguese spy arrested for passing NATO secrets to Russia

    In Rome, state security officials arrested a Portuguese citizen who provided Russian intelligence officials with secret documents from NATO. A Russian citizen was also arrested, as reported by Expresso on May 23rd.

    The arrested person was a Portuguese citizen, Frederico Carvalhão, who is a member of Portugal’s SIS intelligence service. He was accused of selling sensitive information relating to NATO and the European Union.

    It was mentioned that Carvalhão had been leaving Portugal in order to …

  • The Kremlin: NATO is a tool for confrontation

    Dmitry Peskov, the Press Secretary for Russian President Vladimir Putin, stated that NATO is a tool created for confrontation. RIA Novosti quotes Peskov as saying “NATO is a product of confrontational times. It is a tool created for confrontation.”

    “What valuable contribution to ensuring pan-European stability and security can be made by a tool created exclusively for confrontation? This issue is controversial,” Peskov believes. “As before, we note with greatest regret the expansion of NATO’s …