Europe & Eurasia

Former UK Chief of Defense Doubts Afghan Army Will Succeed After NATO Withdraws

By AFP

Former British defence chiefs warned Monday that parts of southern Afghanistan could fall to the Taliban when British troops leave this year, despite Prime Minister David Cameron recently saying they had accomplished their mission.

Strategy Session with Estonian Minister of Defense Urmas Reinsalu

The Baltic nation of Estonia is not only one of NATO’s most active members, it lives on the often tense front line of the Atlantic alliance’s complex relationship with Russia. Estonia’s key role as a US ally, and its critical place in European security affairs are why the Atlantic Council invited Defense Minister Urmas Reinsalu […]

Turkey Replaces Ambassadors in Washington, London, and Paris

By Hurriyet, Anadolu Agency, and Turkish Embassy in Tokyo

From Hurriyet Daily News:  A major reshuffle of Turkey’s most important diplomatic posts has taken effect with two former ambassadors to Japan, Serdar Kılıç and Abdurrahman Bilgiç, being posted as Turkey’s envoys to the United States and the United Kingdom respectively.

Europe Must be Prepared to Spend on Defense

By Ivo Daalder, Financial Times

Over the past decade, European countries have become increasingly involved in military operation

Turkey Increases Defense Spending

By Burak Ege Bekdil, Defense News

Turkey’s parliament has approved a 6.71 percent increase in the country’s defense budget, according to budget figures released after a debate.

China and Russia Bring Back Cold War Tactics

By Anne Applebaum, Washington Post

We in the United States may not believe that there is any real threat to our longtime alliance structures in Europe and Asia, but other people think those alliances are vulnerable and have set out to undermine them.

US F-15s Take Over NATO’s Baltic Air Policing

By Lithuanian Ministry of Defense

On January 3 Belgium’s air contingent handed over NATO’s mission of ensuring security in the airspace of the Baltic States to air personnel of the United States of America operating four F-15 C Eagle fighter-jets

Czech Police Find Weapons at Palestinian Mission

By Jan Lopatka, Reuters

Czech investigators found unregistered weapons at the Palestinian diplomatic mission in Prague, police said on Thursday, a day after the ambassador was killed in a mysterious explosion after opening a safe.

Europe’s Ukrainian Blunder

By Joschka Fischer, Project Syndicate

After [Vladimir] Putin succeeded Boris Yeltsin as President of the Russian Federation, he followed three strategic goals, which he continues to pursue

NATO Secretary General Condemns Terrorist Attack in Russia

By Anders Fogh Rasmussen, NATO

I strongly condemn the terrorist attack on a railway station in Volgograd, Russia, which killed and injured many people.