DefenceTalkThe head of Algeria’s army hosted Russia’s top security official on Monday to discuss boosting their military ties, the defence ministry in Algiers said. General Said Chengriha said the visit of National Security Council secretary Nikolai Patrushev reflected both countries’ “firm desire to strengthen their historic and strategic partnership… in particular in the area of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/algeria-and-russia-aim-to-boost-military-ties-79909/

DefenceTalkBritish military equipment maker BAE Systems said Thursday that it won a record-high number of orders last year, the start of which saw Russia invade Ukraine. Orders totaled pound37.1 billion ($44.7 billion) in 2022, and BAE said it expected “renewed importance of armored combat vehicles in the Ukraine conflict to benefit” the group going forward. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/bae-systems-announces-record-military-orders-79892/

DefenceTalkJapanese and Chinese officials will hold senior-level security discussions next week for the first time since February 2019, Tokyo’s top diplomat said Saturday. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi and his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi held a meeting for nearly an hour Saturday on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference in Germany, his office said […]https://www.defencetalk.com/japan-china-agree-to-hold-senior-level-defence-talks-79867/

DefenceTalkNATO members relaunched debate Wednesday on the thorny issue of ramping up national defence spending targets as Russia’s war on Ukraine has upended security. Moscow’s nearly year-long all-out invasion of its neighbor has seen a string of European allies commit to spending billions more on their armed forces. Some at the US-led Western military alliance […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-debates-raising-defense-spending-target-79859/

DefenceTalkA majority of Finns want to go ahead and join NATO even if Sweden’s membership is delayed, a poll suggested Thursday, after Turkey said it could accept Finland without Sweden. More than half of respondents, 53 percent, replied negatively when asked “whether Finland should wait for Sweden” even “if it takes longer to ratify Sweden’s […]https://www.defencetalk.com/majority-of-finns-want-to-join-nato-before-sweden-poll-79837/

DefenceTalkThe Pentagon said Thursday that it was tracking a Chinese spy balloon flying high over the United States that appeared to be surveilling highly sensitive nuclear weapons sites. At President Joe Biden’s request, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and top military officials considered shooting the balloon down but decided doing so would endanger too many people […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pentagon-tracking-chinese-spy-balloon-over-us-79833/

DefenceTalkLondon’s High Court on Tuesday examined the legality of a decision by the UK to renew sales of arms to Saudi Arabia that could be used in the war in Yemen. The case has been brought by UK-based NGO, Campaign Against Arms Trade (CAAT), which accuses the government of contributing to breaches of international law […]https://www.defencetalk.com/uk-court-examines-legality-of-resuming-saudi-arms-sales-79829/

DefenceTalkNATO’s chief on Wednesday applauded Japan’s plan to double its defence spending, saying that the pledge reflected the country’s resolve for greater security involvement in a volatile world. Speaking in Tokyo, Jens Stoltenberg said Japan’s renewed focus on security made the nation “even more” of a partner “for peace”. “I am glad that Japan is […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-chief-hails-japan-plans-to-expand-defence-spending-79821/

DefenceTalkHungary accused Sweden of “stupidity” Tuesday over an extremist incident in Stockholm that led Turkey to suspend NATO accession talks with the Nordic country and its neighbor Finland. Turkey and Hungary remain the only members of the 30-nation Western defence alliance to have failed to ratify the membership bids by Sweden and Finland. But a […]https://www.defencetalk.com/hungary-blasts-swedens-stupidity-on-nato-row-with-turkey-79809/

DefenceTalkFinland’s foreign minister said Wednesday he hoped Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO ratification process would be completed ahead of the alliance’s Vilnius summit in July, despite a row with Turkey. Ankara on Tuesday postponed NATO accession talks with Sweden and Finland, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned Stockholm for allowing weekend protests that included the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/finnish-fm-hopes-for-nato-ratification-by-july-79765/