Western Europe

German Official Discloses that NATO To Discuss Sending More Troops to Poland

NATO defence ministers will discuss temporarily reinforcing forces in Poland when they meet in Brussels this week

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.

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.

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.

UK Minister: We Should Trust Ukrainians to Make the Right Choice

By David Lidington, Guardian

Trust in the ability of people to make decisions about their own future is a fundamental tenet of democracy. On Sunday, the citizens of Ukraine go to the polls to elect a new president in one of the most important elections of their history.

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.

Poland Concerned Germany is Impeding NATO’s Response to Russia

By Judy Dempsey, Strategic Europe

Poland fears that Germany will not make the hard decisions required to stop Russia from acting again.