Contents tagged with NATO

  • Lithuania to propose new sanctions against Russia

    During a visit to Poland, Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė said that Vilnius intends to propose additional sanctions against Russia if Moscow continues its aggressive policy towards Ukraine, BNS reports. 

    “If things continue to develop poorly, and Russia doesn’t start talking, but continues its aggressive policy throughout Ukraine and at the Kerch Strait, then, without a doubt, we will propose additional sanctions,” the Lithuanian leader told reporters in Lublin. 

    She added that the EU …

  • NATO: Ukrainian army lacks coordination between agencies

    During a consulting session on the development of Ukraine’s national defense, the NATO head of advisory support expert group, Hasit Tankey stated that Ukraine meets the seven basic NATO resilience requirements, but lacks interagency coordination,  the press service of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers reported.

    According to Tankey, Ukraine must improve interagency coordination in matters of strategic and operational control during hybrid wars. 

    The Alliance expert noted that Ukraine has a …

  • Former NATO Secretary-General: Belarus faces annexation by Russia

    The former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, in an interview with LIGA.net, stated that Belarus faces the threat of annexation by Russia.

    “The key risk is a repeat of what happened in Ukraine after the war and the annexation. Belarus can expect the same scenario if it does not begin reforms,” he said.

    Rasmussen called on Belarus to begin reforms which would lead to democracy and freedom before it's too late.

    “We heard Vladimir Putin’s statement where he said that Belarus must be …

  • Poroshenko proposes bill to allow foreign troops into Ukraine for military drills

    Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has put forward a bill in parliament which proposes to allow foreign troops into the country for the purpose of conducting international exercises. According to the Verkhovna Rada’s information portal, bill No. 10067 was sent on Tuesday 19 February to the National Security and Defense Committee for consideration.

    The president’s bill states that in 2019, six international exercises will be held in Ukraine: joint exercises with the US, UK and Romania, as …

  • Poroshenko signs changes to Constitution on Ukraine’s EU and NATO aspirations

    Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko has signed a law that consolidates in the Constitution the mandate of the Verkhovna Rada, the president, and the Cabinet of Ministers to implement Ukraine’s strategic course towards acquiring full-fledged membership in the EU and NATO. The changes also remove from the Constitution provisions that allow for a foreign state to rent military bases in Ukraine.

    The president signed the law during a special parliamentary session dedicated to the fifth anniversary …

  • Czech Republic to send a mechanized battalion to the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps

    The Czech Republic will send a mechanized battalion to the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, said the Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Republic, Lieutenant General Aleš Opata on Friday.

    "The Czech Republic will send 800 servicemen and 200 units of equipment to the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps that can deploy within 30 days.” He explained that the Czech Republic is sending a mechanized ground forces battalion.

    The project of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps was discussed in Brussels on …

  • Stoltenberg: NATO is getting ready for more Russian missiles

    NATO should get ready for actions in a new reality where Russia will deploy more military nuclear facilities near its European borders, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Friday, February 15, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Evropeyskaya Pravda reported.

    Stoltenberg stressed that NATO sill still give Russia six months to comply with the Treaty on the Elimination of Medium and Small-Range Nuclear Missiles capable of carrying a nuclear charge. Nevertheless, according to …

  • Ukrainian Defense Minister: NATO ships to visit Ukrainian ports on monthly basis

    After a visit to the NATO headquarters in Brussels, Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said that he expects NATO ships to visit Ukrainian ports nearly every month in 2019.

    “This year, NATO’s naval presence in the Black Sea will be significantly stepped up. Nearly every month, ships both from NATO’s permanent naval groups and those of key allies will visit Ukrainian ports, also for the purpose of conducting joint exercises with Ukraine’s Navy,” Poltorak explained.

    He noted that ships …

  • NATO exercise Agile Spirit 2019 to be held in Georgia in the summer

    Over 3,000 military personnel from NATO member states and their partner countries will participate in the Agile Spirit 2019 Multinational Military Exercises to be held in Georgia from July 27 to August 9.

    The exercises will be held under joint leadership of the Georgian Armed Forces and European Command of the US Armed Forces. Organizers will reveal the extent of military equipment and hardware involved at the final planning conference in Tbilisi in May.

    Agile Spirit exercises have been held …

  • Stoltenberg: NATO prepares an 'effective response' to Russia’s violations of Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty

    Secretary General of NATO Jens Stoltenberg stated at the Brussels meeting of NATO defense ministers, which was held on February 13th,  that NATO’s current focus is to preserve the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF).

    “We're trying to save the ‘cornerstone’ of arms control, and so everything is now in the hands of Russia. At the same time, we are preparing, considering and analyzing the consequences of the treaty termination. The preparation has already begun since the new Russian …