DefenceTalkNATO chief Jens Stoltenberg pledged more support Thursday for countries in Africa and the Middle East as the alliance looks to compete with Russia’s and China’s growing influence in the regions. Leaders meeting at a summit in Madrid discussed “how Russia and China continue to seek political, economic and military gain across our southern neighborhood”, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-wary-of-russian-chinese-gains-on-southern-flank-79060/

DefenceTalkSweden may have clinched a surprise deal with Turkey paving the way for its NATO membership, but Kurds and leftwing parties expressed concern Wednesday about the concessions made to Ankara. “We did not cave in to (Turkish President Recep Tayyip) Erdogan”, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde said from the NATO summit in Madrid where the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/relief-and-concern-in-sweden-after-nato-deal-with-turkey-79048/

DefenceTalkBritain pledged another £1 billion ($1.2 billion) in military aid to Ukraine Wednesday to help it fend off Russia’s invasion, including air-defence systems and drones. The fresh funds will bring Britain’s total military support to Kyiv since the start of the war in late February to £2.3 billion, Downing Street said in a statement. The […]https://www.defencetalk.com/britain-boosts-military-aid-to-ukraine-79042/

DefenceTalkRussia has “no problem” if Finland and Sweden join NATO, President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday. “We don’t have problems with Sweden and Finland like we do with Ukraine,” Putin told a news conference in the Turkmenistan capital of Ashgabat. “We don’t have territorial differences,” the Russian leader continued. “There is nothing that could bother […]https://www.defencetalk.com/no-problem-for-russia-if-finland-sweden-join-nato-putin-79054/

DefenceTalkFinnish and Swedish leaders will discuss their stalled NATO bids with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday at the start of an alliance summit in Madrid, Helsinki said on Monday. But Turkey said the four-way meeting, which will also involve NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg, did not mean that Ankara was close to lifting its […]https://www.defencetalk.com/finland-sweden-leaders-to-discuss-nato-bid-with-erdogan-79029/

DefenceTalkCanada on Sunday deployed two warships to the Baltic Sea and North Atlantic, joining a pair of frigates already in the region, to reinforce NATO’s eastern flank in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Her Majesty’s Canadian Ships (HMCS) Kingston and Summerside set sail for a four-month deployment as part of “deterrence measures in Central […]https://www.defencetalk.com/canada-sends-2-warships-to-baltic-sea-to-bolster-security-79032/

DefenceTalkSpain’s defence minister warned on Friday of a possible cyberattack during the NATO summit in Madrid next week. Asked if Spain feared Russia could launch such an attack, Margarita Robles told journalists “the possibility of a cyberattack exists”, without mentioning the country by name. “There are many challenges and many threats,” she said, adding that […]https://www.defencetalk.com/spain-warns-of-possible-cyberattack-at-nato-summit-79036/

DefenceTalkRussian flags flap in the stiff polar breeze, a bust of Lenin looms out of the snow and a vast slogan declares, “Communism is our goal!” No, this is not some time warp Soviet settlement lost in the Arctic wastes, but a corner of Norway where Moscow can — theoretically at least — mine, build, […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-and-china-eye-natos-arctic-achilles-heel-79022/

DefenceTalkEstonia on Wednesday accused Russia of engaging in escalatory actions ahead of next week’s NATO summit, including alleged missile simulations and airspace violations. It also referenced Russia’s threat this week against Estonia’s fellow Baltic state Lithuania over its restriction of rail traffic to Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave. “Currently, there is no immediate military threat against Estonia. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/estonia-accuses-russia-of-escalatory-actions-79008/

DefenceTalkTurkey on Monday said it did not view next week’s NATO summit as a final deadline for resolving its objections to Finland and Sweden joining the Western defence alliance. The comments from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s top foreign policy adviser followed a round of urgent talks in Brussels that NATO leaders had hoped would […]https://www.defencetalk.com/turkey-says-nato-summit-not-the-deadline-for-finland-sweden-talks-78992/