DefenceTalkMajor military exercises involving 30,000 NATO troops and partner countries kicked off in Norway on Monday as tensions escalate between the West and Russia over the Ukraine war. Cold Response 2022, planned long before Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, aims to test how Norway would manage Allied reinforcements on its soil, in line with Article 5 […]https://www.defencetalk.com/major-nato-maneuvers-kick-off-in-norway-78392/

DefenceTalkNATO must not allow Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to spill over into a war between the alliance and Moscow, its chief Jens Stoltenberg said Friday, again ruling out a no-fly zone. “We have a responsibility to prevent this conflict from escalating beyond Ukraine’s borders to becoming a full-fledged war between Russia and NATO,” the NATO […]https://www.defencetalk.com/ukraine-must-not-become-full-fledged-nato-war-with-russia-stoltenberg-78389/

DefenceTalkRussian President Vladimir Putin on Friday asked his defense minister to prepare plans for possible fortification of Russia’s western border in response to NATO troop movement in eastern Europe. “As for the strengthening of our western borders because of the actions adopted by NATO countries… this needs to be considered separately, I ask you to […]https://www.defencetalk.com/putin-weighing-response-to-nato-troop-movement-in-eastern-europe-78378/

DefenceTalkNon NATO-members Sweden and Finland are counting on the European Union’s mutual defence clause in the event of a military attack, Sweden’s prime minister said Tuesday amid heightened tensions between Russia and the West. Ahead of a summit of EU leaders in Versailles on Thursday and Friday, the two countries wrote a joint letter to […]https://www.defencetalk.com/sweden-finland-remind-eu-of-mutual-defence-clause-78335/

DefenceTalkPresident Volodymyr Zelensky said he is no longer pressing for NATO membership for Ukraine, a delicate issue that was one of Russia’s stated reasons for invading its pro-Western neighbor. In another apparent nod aimed at placating Moscow, Zelensky said he is open to “compromise” on the status of two breakaway pro-Russian territories that President Vladimir […]https://www.defencetalk.com/in-nod-to-russia-ukraine-says-no-longer-insisting-on-nato-membership-78329/

DefenceTalkUkraine on Saturday urged the West to amp up military assistance to the besieged country, including warplanes, as Russian President Vladimir Putin escalated warnings against NATO. “The highest demand that we have is in fighter jets, attack aircraft, and air-defense systems,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told a small group of journalists on the Poland-Ukraine […]https://www.defencetalk.com/ukraine-steps-up-pleas-for-warplanes-and-other-military-aid-78310/

DefenceTalkNATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Friday said the alliance would not impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine after calls from Kyiv to help stop Russia’s bombardments. “The only way to implement a no-fly zone is to send NATO fighter planes into Ukraine’s airspace, and then impose that no fly zone by shooting down Russian […]https://www.defencetalk.com/nato-rejects-calls-for-no-fly-zone-over-ukraine-78291/

DefenceTalkFinland’s president called on Thursday for the country to remain calm while deciding whether to apply to join NATO as a defence against potential Russian aggression. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked a debate in Finland over whether the militarily non-aligned country should join NATO, with a recent poll showing majority support for membership for […]https://www.defencetalk.com/finnish-president-urges-cool-head-over-nato-question-78255/

DefenceTalkGuided-missile destroyers USS The Sullivans (DDG 68) and USS Donald Cook (DDG 75) participated in NATO exercise Dynamic Guard 22-01, Feb. 22-25. Dynamic Guard, hosted by Norway, is a bi-annual, multi-national NATO electronic warfare exercise series designed to provide tactical training for the NATO Response Force and NATO national units. The exercise is led by […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-navy-destroyers-participate-in-nato-exercise-dynamic-guard-78261/

DefenceTalkRussia’s invasion of Ukraine has sparked a change of mindset among Finnish citizens and politicians towards joining NATO, Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Tuesday. “The views of citizens are certainly changing and I believe those of the parties and their members are also changing,” due to the deteriorating security environment, Marin said. She was […]https://www.defencetalk.com/finlands-view-on-joining-nato-is-changing-says-pm-78190/