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In the News

Jun 5, 2014

Workman on Impact of US Investigations into French Bank BNP Paribas

By Garrett Workman

The Associated Press quotes Global Business and Economics Program Associate Director Garrett Workman on the political and economic fallout from US investigations into transactions the French bank BNP Paribas may have conducted with clients in Iran, Sudan, and Cuba:

France
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel after meeting of NATO defense ministers, June 4, 2014

NATOSource

Jun 4, 2014

Hagel Escalates Obama’s Warning to Allies: US Support for NATO Could Be at Risk

By James G. Neuger and Gopal Ratnam, Bloomberg News

NATO defense ministers struggled to find a response to Russia’s Ukraine incursion, hemmed in by financial constraints, U.S. demands that Europe raise defense spending and a desire not to provoke the Kremlin.

Europe & Eurasia France

In the News

Jun 3, 2014

Workman on Transatlantic Trade Talks

By Garret Workman

Financial Times quotes Global Business and Economics Program Associate Director Garrett Workman on what consequences a United States fine on France’s biggest bank might have on the transatlantic trade and partnership talks: 

Economy & Business France
French Mistral, Tonnerre (L9014)

NATOSource

May 30, 2014

France Might Withhold 2nd Mistral Ship From Russia

By Pierre Tran, Defense News

French defense officials are exploring ideas to avoid delivering a second helicopter carrier to Russia, including looking for an alternative client for the Sevastopol, analysts and an industry executive said.

France Russia
Congressman Eliot L. Engel

NATOSource

May 30, 2014

Congressional Leaders Urge NATO to Purchase French Warships Intended for Russia

By Eliot L. Engel, Michael Turner, and William R. Keating

Text of letter to NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen from US lawmakers.

France NATO
French frigate Surcouf (F711)

NATOSource

May 29, 2014

Third NATO Ship Enters Black Sea, Russia Vows Increased Military Air Presence

By Sam LaGrone, USNI News

A French frigate entered the Black Sea on Wednesday, growing the number of NATO surface warships in the region to three, according to a ship spotting blog and Russian press reports.

France Russia

Article

May 29, 2014

A Tale of Two Countries: The European Elections, Britain and France

By Nicholas Dungan

On the surface, the European Parliament election results in France and the United Kingdom look quite similar. In both, a maverick right-wing Euroskeptic party won a comfortable quarter of the votes, polling ahead of the leading opposition party and leaving the party in power in third place. In both, gains by those nationalist protest parties […]

European Union France

Defense Industrialist

May 28, 2014

Buying Out a Ship Contract, or a Whole Shipyard?

By James Hasik

The French sale of helicopter carriers to Russia shows just how hard industrial rationalization in Europe really is. Back in March, I argued (“Did NATO rearm Russia?”) that arms sales to Moscow had been been more embarrassing than alarming, but that the occupation of Crimea meant that it was really time to stop. Most egregious, I still […]

France Russia
French Chief of Defense General Pierre De Villiers

NATOSource

May 23, 2014

French Military Heads Threaten to Resign Over ‘Grave’ Defense Cuts

By Henry Samuels, Telegraph

French army, navy and air force chiefs and its joint chief-of-staff threaten to resign over military spending cuts, with Jean-Yves Le Drian, defence minister, warning they would render foreign operations impossible.

Economy & Business France
Troops from nine NATO members are participating in Steadfast Javelin exercise

NATOSource

May 16, 2014

NATO Launches Multinational Military Exercise to Defend Estonia

By NATO

NATO launched a large-scale exercise “Steadfast Javelin 1” in Estonia on Friday (16 May 2014) which will test Allied forces on their ability to work together as well as maintaining NATO’s readiness and combat effectiveness.

France NATO

Experts