Sun. Oct 6th, 2024

DEFENCE

LATEST NEWS

North Atlantic Council at the level of Heads of State and Government at the NATO Summit in Washington, D.C., where Allies took decisions related to NATO Common Funding, 9-11 July 2024. © NATO

Reflections on a decisive decade as NATO Secretary General – Jens Stoltenberg

“The world has changed profoundly since 2014 when I took up my post as NATO Secretary General. Putin has brought brutal war back to Europe, global competition has accelerated, and many challenges – from terrorism to disruptive technologies and from cyber-attacks to climate change – have transformed our security landscape and our everyday lives. As the world has changed, so has NATO” – writes NATO Secretary General in his reflections

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27/09/2024

Invitation letter by President Charles Michel to the members of the EU Council

Into the third year of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, we face a pivotal moment. Urgency, intensity and unwavering determination are imperative. Our foremost task is the swift provision of military aid to Ukraine and, building on recent initiatives like that of Czechia, the fast-track procurement and delivery of ammunition to Ukraine. This European Council will be an opportunity to strengthen and accelerate those efforts. Additionally, we must focus

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19/03/2024

Norway will meet NATO’s 2% guideline in 2024

A strong commitment to defence means that a larger share of public funds will be spent on our armed forces and overall resilience. With this in mind, the Government will propose extra funding for defence in the revised national budget, ensuring that Norway will meet NATO’s guideline of spending two percent of gross domestic product (GDP) on defence in 2024. All NATO countries have since 2014 shared this ambition and

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15/03/2024

EU Commission allocates €500m to ramp up ammunition industry

The European Commission completed the evaluation under the ASAP Regulation in record time and selected 31 projects to assist European industry in increasing its ammunition production and readiness. The selected projects cover five areas: explosives, powder, shells, missiles, and testing and reconditioning certification.

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15/03/2024

Petteri Orpo: “We need a resilient, competitive and secure Europe”

In his “This is Europe” address to the European Parliament, Prime of Minister of Finland Petteri Orpo focussed on three key factors for the coming years. First, strategic competitiveness, which is important as Europe’s productivity is falling behind that of key competitors. To thrive in a global landscape, Europe needs a fully functioning internal market, investments in innovation and skills, and a more effective use of its budget, said Mr

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13/03/2024

Beata Szydło (ECR): Defence must now be at the heart of EU policy

Speaking in Strasbourg, ECR Vice-President Beata Szydło pointed out to Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that not only a competitive defence industry but also a down-to-earth industrial and agricultural policy, are essential in order have resilient societies in times of crisis. The Commission should also largely revise the Green Deal for this purpose.

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13/03/2024

EP Plenary: Speech by EU Commission President on the preparation of the EU Council meeting of 21-22 March 2024

As we speak a ship is setting sail from Cyprus to Northern Gaza. It carries the most basic kind of humanitarian aid, which is also the most needed today: food, plain and simply food for a population that faces a humanitarian catastrophe. This maritime corridor is the result of unprecedented international cooperation, under the leadership of President Nikos Christodoulides. We have worked hand in hand not only with Cyprus, but

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12/03/2024

EU HRVP: Time to strengthen European defence industry

“We need to boost our defence industry to replenish our stocks and face new potential threats while continuing to provide adequate military support to Ukraine. We need to boost our defence industrial and technological base. It was not clear to anybody before Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, but now it has become common sense” – EU HR Borrell

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11/03/2024

Norway participates in air defence coalition to support Ukraine

This winter, several capability coalitions have been established for military support to Ukraine. The government has decided on Norwegian participation in three such coalitions, the maritime coalition which Norway leads together with Great Britain, the F-16 coalition in which Norway will donate F-16 combat aircraft and train Ukrainian personnel on the system, and the air defence coalition, which is led by Germany and France.

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07/03/2024

Zelenskyy: Weapons and air defense are needed here to save lives

Of course, the main issue in the talks with the Prime Minister of Greece was our defense, our capabilities in active operations and defense. Air defense is an absolute priority. Just like in negotiations with other partners. The world has enough air defense systems and capabilities to produce weapons for defense. Weapons are needed here to save lives. Decisions are needed now – not someday, but for the people who

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06/03/2024

UK: Preparing defence for the future

We live in a digital age of warfare, where the ability to rapidly exploit new technology, analyse large volumes of data, conduct electronic warfare, and defend our digital networks, can be the difference between winning and losing. Ukraine has evidenced how technology, digital, and information warfare have helped to hold back a larger aggressor. Strategic Command is responsible for both developing and defending Defence’s vital digital networks. Having a workforce

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06/03/2024

The EU starts first-ever European Defence Industrial Strategy

The European Commission and the High Representative presented the first-ever European Defence Industrial Strategy (EDIS) at EU level and proposed an ambitious set of new actions to support the competitiveness and readiness of its defence industry. In response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine the strategy sets a clear, long-term vision to achieve defence industrial readiness in the European Union.

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05/03/2024

Procaccini: For a common European defence

In the debate on European security and defence, ECR Co-Chairman Nicola Procaccini spoke in favour of the creation of a European army to complement NATO. However, he began by criticising the late timing of the debate after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the Commission’s tendency to get bogged down in trivialities.

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28/02/2024

EU Parliament Plenary: Ursula von der Leyen on strengthening European defence in a volatile geopolitical landscape

In the last years, many European illusions have been shattered. The illusion that peace is permanent. The illusion that economic prosperity might matter more to Putin than destroying a free and democratic Ukraine. The illusion that Europe on its own was doing enough on security – be it economic or military, conventional or cyber. As we look around us, it is clear there is no room for any more illusions.

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28/02/2024

EU HRVP Borrell’s statement on strengthening European defence

2023 was a very challenging year. The international system continues to face multiple and overlapping challenges.
We face two wars on our doorstep, while climate, food, and energy crises pose threats to global peace and security, hamper global governance, and slow down sustainable development.
This forces us to fundamentally rethink our Union.

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28/02/2024

Statement by the NATO-Ukraine Council marking two years of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine

“Russia bears full responsibility for this war, a blatant violation of international law including the UN Charter, for which it must be held fully accountable. There can be no impunity for Russian war crimes and violations and abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law, including the forced deportation of children and conflict-related sexual violence. We condemn Russia’s appalling attacks against Ukraine’s cities and its civilian, energy, and port infrastructure,

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25/02/2024

G7 Leaders’ Kyiv Statement on 24 February 2024

“We the Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) met today with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to reaffirm our unwavering support for Ukraine and salute once more the bravery and resilience of the Ukrainian people who have been fighting tirelessly for Ukraine’s freedom and democratic future” – G7 statement.

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24/02/2024
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