Southern and Southeastern Europe

US Army May Pre-Position 100 More Armored Vehicles in Central Europe

By Jeff Schogol, Army Times

The U.S. Army intends to add at least 100 fighting vehicles to Europe by the end of next year, the commander of U.S. Army Europe told reporters on Monday.

New Party Leader Wants Spain Out of NATO

By George Mills, Local (Spain)

The leader of Spain’s radical new Podemos party has said he would like a referendum on whether Spain should leave Nato, although he admitted the move would be “far from simple.”

Germany and Italy to keep up to 1,350 soldiers in Afghanistan

By Reuters

Germany and Italy plan to keep a total of up to 1,350 soldiers in Afghanistan in 2015 to help train local armed forces, their defense ministries said on Tuesday, a slightly larger contingent than had been previously expected.

Portugal Escorts Russian Ship From Its Waters

By AFP and BBC

From AFP:  The Portugese Navy escorted a Russian oceanographic ship out of its waters Wednesday in response to the latest in a series of territorial incursions by a Russian vessel or plane.

Ukraine, ISIS Wars Increase Europe’s Risks in the Western Balkans

By James Rupert

Albania’s Defense Minister: NATO, EU Should Focus on Dangers in Five Ex-Yugoslav States Europe’s peace is at risk from the wars in Ukraine, Syria and Iraq—and nowhere more than in the Balkans, where several states of the former Yugoslavia form the weakest spot in Europe’s security structures.

Putin’s Balkan Gambit

By Damon Wilson

Buoyed by Successes in Europe’s East, Russia’s Leader Turns His Gaze to Serbia and Its Neighbors Russian President Vladimir Putin’s attack on Ukraine aims to deny that nation a European future, partly by closing the door permanently to membership in NATO or the European Union. Putin’s aims, however, are not limited to extending a Russian […]

Defense Minister: Germany Unable to Meet NATO Commitments

By Deutsche Welle and AP

From Deutsche Welle:  Germany could not currently fulfill its NATO commitments in the event of an attack on a member of the alliance, owing in part to severe backlogs in replacement parts for its aircraft.

Spain to Replace Dutch in Turkey Patriot Missile Deployment

Spain will send a Patriot anti-ballistic missile battery to Turkey’s southern border with Syria as part of a NATO initiative, Defence Minister Pedro Morenes said on Wednesday, replacing the Netherlands’ contribution to the deployment.