Northern Europe

NATO Steps Back Into the USSR

By Steven Erlanger, New York Times

Is the confrontation a Ukraine problem or a Russia problem? Is it a blip, which can be treated like a speed bump before returning to the straight, rich road of commerce, or is it something fundamental, not so much a challenge to the postwar order as a break with it, blowing a hole in that […]

European Ground Troops Need to Join US Units Defending NATO’s Eastern Allies

By Steven Pifer, Financial Times

Given Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine, companies of airborne soldiers have been deployed to Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland to assure those countries and serve as tripwires. But the soldiers are all Americans. Where are the Europeans?

Conversation with Finnish Undersecretary Matti Anttonen

On the afternoon of Monday, May 20, the Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center held a private, roundtable conversation with Matti Anttonen, undersecretary of state for external economic affairs in the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. Ambassador Anttonen was introduced by Ambassador John Herbst, director of the Atlantic Council’s Dinu Patriciu Eurasia Center.

Unprotected in the East: NATO Appears Toothless in Russia Crisis

By Spiegel

According to information SPIEGEL obtained by SPIEGEL, a draft version of a comprehensive, restricted internal NATO assessment of the situation reads: “Russia’s ability to undertake significant military action with little warning presents a wider threat to the maintenance of security and stability in the Euro-Atlantic area.

Spiegel: NATO Unprepared If Russia Moved into Baltic Members

By Deutsche Welle

According to the German magazine Spiegel, NATO is examining scenarios in the event of a Russian military move in Eastern Europe. Alarm bells are already ringing in eastern states, and NATO is keen to show it could cope.

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.

Swedish Defense Commission Says Russian Aggression in Ukraine has Increased Risk in Nordic and Baltic Region

By Swedish Mission to NATO

The Swedish Parliamentary Defence Commission (Försvarsberedningen) presented its defence report to Minister for Defence Karin Enström on 15 May.

Norway Deploys Frigate 10,000 Miles Around Globe to Participate in RIMPAC Exercise

By Ine Eriksen Søreide, Ministry of Defense of Norway

Today – May 12th 2014 – is a day worth remembering. The Norwegian frigate KNM Fridtjof Nansen departs for the Pacific to participate in world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise RIMPAC.

Europeans Dither on Defense While Putin Laughs

By John Vinocur, Wall Street Journal

On one hand, there are European countries reasonably bemoaning years of declining American leadership and resolve.

Putin’s Unconventional Tools for Destabilizing Neighbors and Undermining NATO

By Massimo Calabresi, TIME

Over the last decade, Putin has established a well-organized, well-funded and often subtle overt and covert operation in the vast swath of neighboring countries, from Estonia on the Baltic Sea to Azerbaijan in the Caucuses, say western and regional government officials.