DefenceTalkThe United States and South Korea began their biggest combined military drills since 2018 on Monday, Seoul said — a move likely to enrage North Korea, which has been ramping up its nuclear threats. Washington is Seoul’s key security ally and stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea to protect it from its nuclear-armed neighbor. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-south-korea-begin-biggest-joint-military-drills-since-2018-79246/

DefenceTalkChina has gained a major foothold in oil-rich Iraq, shaking up Western domination in fields from energy to construction, even as some warn that infrastructure projects could leave Baghdad in debt. After decades of conflict, Iraq is “badly in need of foreign investment, and specifically investment in energy sector infrastructure”, said John Calabrese of the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-cements-influence-in-iraq-through-oil-infrastructure-deals-79228/

DefenceTalkA US state governor met Taiwan’s president Monday, days after Washington announced trade talks with Taipei in a show of support following China’s military threats towards the self-ruled island. Eric Holcomb, the Republican governor of Indiana, landed in Taiwan on Sunday for an “economic development trip”. US-China tensions have risen since Beijing staged huge military […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-governor-visits-taiwan-after-china-drills-79225/

DefenceTalkTurkey’s justice minister Thursday said Sweden’s pledge to extradite a Turkish convict fell far short of Stockholm’s commitments under a deal paving the way for its NATO membership bid. NATO member Turkey is threatening to freeze Sweden’s attempts to join the Western defence alliance unless it extradites dozens of people Ankara accuses of “terrorism”. A […]https://www.defencetalk.com/turkey-says-first-swedish-extradition-falls-short-of-demands-79217/

DefenceTalkNATO peacekeepers in Kosovo “will take any measure that is necessary” to ensure peace there, the alliance’s chief said Wednesday as Serbia-Kosovo tensions simmered. “Should stability be jeopardized, KFOR stands ready to intervene and will take any measure that is necessary to ensure a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-says-troops-in-kosovo-will-intervene-to-keep-peace-79213/

DefenceTalkTaiwan will hold live-fire military drills this week simulating a defence of the island against a Chinese invasion, officials said Monday, as Beijing carries out fresh exercises around its neighbor. The self-ruled, democratic island lives under the constant threat of invasion by China, which sees it as part of Chinese territory to be reclaimed one […]https://www.defencetalk.com/taiwan-to-hold-anti-invasion-drills-after-china-exercises-79178/

DefenceTalkChina carried out fresh military drills around Taiwan Monday, Beijing said, defying calls to end its largest-ever exercises encircling the island in the wake of a visit by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Beijing has raged at the trip by Pelosi — the highest-ranking elected US official to visit Taiwan in decades — ripping up […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-holds-fresh-military-drills-around-taiwan-79175/

DefenceTalkThe United States’ quest to dominate the oceans and NATO’s expansion are the biggest threats facing Russia, according to a new Russian naval doctrine signed by President Vladimir Putin on Sunday. The 55-page document said the “main challenges and threats” to national security and development were Washington’s “strategic objective to dominate the world’s oceans” and […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-says-us-nato-main-threats-to-national-security-79156/

DefenceTalkChina on Saturday will hold live-fire military drills in the Taiwan Strait, the government announced via state media, raising the stakes ahead of a possible trip to the self-governing island by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The maneuvers will be limited in scope and will take place off the island of Pingtan in Fujian province, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-announces-taiwan-strait-drills-ahead-of-possible-pelosi-trip-79153/

DefenceTalkChina warned Wednesday that Washington would “bear the consequences” if US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visits Taiwan, with tensions soaring ahead of an expected phone call between the two countries’ leaders. Beijing has hit back hard against the United States after reports emerged last week that Pelosi, a Democrat who is second in line to […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-says-us-will-bear-all-consequences-if-pelosi-visits-taiwan-79141/