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British Defense Minister Michael Fallon, Aug. 16, 2014

NATOSource

Feb 19, 2015

Putin Will Target Baltic Republics Next, UK Defense Minister Warns

By Ben Farmer, Telegraph

There is a “real and present danger” that Vladimir Putin will launch a campaign of undercover attacks to destabilise the Baltic states on Nato’s eastern flank, the Defence Secretary has warned.

NATO Northern Europe
German soldiers training for mission in Kosovo, Jan. 28, 2014

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Feb 19, 2015

German Soldiers Used Broomsticks Instead of Guns During NATO Exercise

By Telegraph, Washington Post, and the Local (Germany)

From Justin Huggler, Telegraph:  German soldiers used broomsticks painted black instead of guns during a joint Nato exercise last year due to severe equipment shortages, it has emerged.

Germany NATO
Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and British Prime Minister David Cameron, Sept. 4, 2014

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Feb 17, 2015

David Cameron Will Encourage Britain’s Enemies If He Cuts Defense Spending, Warn Former NATO Chiefs

By Ben Riley-Smith, Telegraph

David Cameron will embolden Vladimir Putin and Islamic terrorists if he reneges on a commitment to spend two per cent of GDP on defence, two former Nato heads have warned.

NATO Russia
The leaders of Belarus, Russia, Germany, France, and Ukraine, Feb. 11, 2015

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Feb 14, 2015

Stephen Walt Makes the Case for Appeasing Russia

By Stephen Walt, Foreign Policy

Those who favor arming Ukraine are also applying “deterrence model” remedies to what is almost certainly a “spiral model” situation.

NATO Russia
US Ambassador to NATO Douglas E. Lute

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Feb 13, 2015

US Ambassador Applauds Changes in NATO Force Structure

By Douglas Lute, US Mission to NATO

[T]he force posture that NATO has had for the last 20 years or so when it went on operations, extended operations in the Balkans and in Afghanistan, was not best suited for these demands that we now face on our periphery.

NATO Security & Defense
Ukrainian armored unit, Jan, 3, 2015

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Feb 12, 2015

Mearsheimer: Don’t Arm Ukraine

By John J. Mearsheimer, New York Times

Sending weapons to Ukraine will not rescue its army and will instead lead to an escalation in the fighting. Such a step is especially dangerous because Russia has thousands of nuclear weapons and is seeking to defend a vital strategic interest.

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Ash Carter testifying to Senate Armed Services Committee, Feb. 4, 2015

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Feb 12, 2015

Ash Carter’s Priorities for NATO

By John T. Bennett and Paul McLeary, Defense News

The United States and NATO should reject Russian assertions that Moscow is entitled to a “sphere of influence” in Eastern Europe — and build militaries capable of handling “any opponent,” said the nominee to be the next US defense secretary.

NATO Russia
Prime Minister David Cameron and President Barack Obama, Jan. 16, 2015

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Feb 11, 2015

Obama to Cameron: Maintain UK Defense Spending or Weaken NATO

By Ben Farmer, Telegraph

Barack Obama has told David Cameron that Britain must stick to its Nato spending target, or set a damaging example to its European allies.

NATO Security & Defense
Secretary of the Russian Security Council Nikolai Patrushev, Oct. 17, 2012

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Feb 10, 2015

Putin Security Aide Warns US Over Arms For Ukraine

By Kathrin Hille, Financial Times

A key security adviser to Russian president Vladimir Putin has accused the US of seeking to drag Russia directly into war in Ukraine through a possible plan to arm Kiev, underlining the seriousness with which Moscow would greet such a move.

NATO Nuclear Nonproliferation
Russian President Vladimir Putin, Dec. 4, 2014

NATOSource

Feb 9, 2015

Russia’s Nuclear Strategy Raises Concerns in NATO

By Adrian Croft, Reuters

Concern is growing in NATO over Russia’s nuclear strategy and indications that Russian military planners may be lowering the threshold for using nuclear weapons in any conflict, alliance diplomats say.

NATO Nuclear Nonproliferation