DefenceTalkGermany’s government and conservative opposition have agreed a deal that will release 100 billion euros ($107 billion) to modernize the army in the face of the Russian threat. An agreement was reached late Sunday to create a special fund for military procurement that will also allow Berlin to achieve NATO’s target of spending two percent […]https://www.defencetalk.com/germany-agrees-107-bn-fund-to-modernize-military-in-face-of-russia-threat-78844/

DefenceTalkRussian forces Saturday announced a latest successful test of their Zircon hypersonic cruise missile as Moscow steps up its Ukraine offensive. The missile was fired from the Admiral Gorshkov frigate stationed in the Barents Sea and “successfully hit” a target stationed 1,000 kilometres (625 miles) away in the White Sea in the Arctic, the defence […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-says-carried-out-hypersonic-missile-test-78829/

DefenceTalkSweden hopes to strike a compromise with Turkey to seal its NATO membership bid, but fears are mounting in the Scandinavian country that the government may sacrifice too much to get what it wants. “If you want to sell everything for NATO membership, then go ahead but I think it’s awful”, blasted Amineh Kakabaveh, a […]https://www.defencetalk.com/as-sweden-woos-turkey-fears-mount-over-what-it-will-cede-78838/

DefenceTalkRussian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Friday that Moscow would create new military bases in western Russia in response to the expansion of NATO. “By the end of the year, 12 military units and divisions will be established in the Western Military District,” Shoigu said at a meeting in televised remarks. The army expects […]https://www.defencetalk.com/new-russian-military-bases-response-to-nato-expansion-78817/

DefenceTalkThe Kremlin said Thursday it was important to ensure basic living conditions in war-torn Ukraine as signs multiplied that Moscow was seeking to permanently occupy or even annex the pro-Western country’s southeast. Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops to Ukraine on February 24 but Moscow has repeatedly stressed it is not seeking to occupy Ukrainian […]https://www.defencetalk.com/signs-multiply-russia-seeks-control-of-south-ukraine-78814/

DefenceTalkTurkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has threatened to block Finland and Sweden from joining NATO, urged the alliance’s members on Wednesday to “respect” Ankara’s concerns about the two countries, which Turkey accuses of harboring terrorists. “Our only expectation from NATO allies is… to first understand our sensitivity, respect and finally support it,” Erdogan told […]https://www.defencetalk.com/erdogan-urges-nato-allies-to-respect-concerns-over-finland-sweden-78802/

DefenceTalkPresident Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday confirmed Turkey’s opposition to NATO membership for Finland and Sweden, again accusing them of failing to take a clear stance against terrorism. “We will not say ‘yes’ to those (countries) who apply sanctions to Turkey to join security organization NATO,” Erdogan said. Sweden has suspended any arms sales to […]https://www.defencetalk.com/turkey-will-not-say-yes-to-nato-membership-for-sweden-finland-erdogan-78789/

DefenceTalkSweden on Monday officially announced it will apply for NATO membership as a deterrent against Russian aggression, entering a “new era” as it reverses two centuries of military non-alignment. “The government has decided to inform NATO that Sweden wants to become a member of the alliance,” Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson told reporters a day after […]https://www.defencetalk.com/sweden-enters-new-era-with-nato-bid-78786/

DefenceTalkThe US Defense Department denied Thursday that it provided intelligence on the locations of Russian generals on the battlefield so that Ukrainian forces could kill them. Reacting to an explosive New York Times report on US support for Ukraine’s military, Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby said it was true that the United States supplies Kyiv’s forces […]https://www.defencetalk.com/pentagon-denies-helping-ukraine-target-russian-generals-78770/

DefenceTalkThe Kremlin on Thursday accused the West of preventing a “quick” end to Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine by supplying weapons to the pro-Western country. Asked about a New York Times report that US intelligence helped Ukraine kill a number of Russian generals, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “The United States, Britain, NATO as a […]https://www.defencetalk.com/western-arms-to-ukraine-preventing-quick-end-to-conflict-kremlin-78766/