Former United States vice president Mike Pence says that he believes Russia will attack NATO if it overpowers Ukraine, emboldening other authoritarian regimes like China. He called on Republican and Democrat lawmakers to fund Ukraine’s defence as well as that of Israel and Taiwan. “If Vladimir Putin were able to overrun Ukraine… I think it … Read more
NATO is debating a plan to provide more predictable military support to Ukraine in coming years as better armed Russian troops assert control on the battlefield, the organization’s top civilian official said Wednesday. “We strongly believe that support to Ukraine should be less dependent on short-term, voluntary offers and more dependent on long-term NATO commitments,” … Read more
Sweden officially joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) on Thursday, becoming its 32nd member. NATO announced the accession in a statement released Thursday. “This is a historic day,” NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said. “After over 200 years of non-alignment Sweden now enjoys the protection granted under Article 5, the ultimate guarantee of Allies’ … Read more
The parliamentary budget officer says the Defence Department is planning unprecedented capital spending in the coming years, raising concerns about the effect of inflation. In a new report, Yves Giroux assessed 20 years of planned capital spending under Canada’s 2017 defence policy, billed “Strong, Secure, Engaged.” He found planned spending is $51.5 billion more than … Read more
Hungary’s parliament voted Monday to ratify Sweden’s bid to join NATO, bringing an end to more than 18 months of delays that have frustrated the alliance as it seeks to expand in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The vote, which passed with 188 votes for and six against, was the culmination of months of … Read more
Hungary’s parliament voted Monday to ratify Sweden’s bid to join NATO, ending more than 18 months of delays that frustrated the alliance as it sought to expand in response to Russia’s war in Ukraine. The vote, which passed with 188 votes for and six against, was the culmination of months of wrangling by Hungary’s allies … Read more
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is defending Canada’s defence spending levels as he wraps up a three-day visit to Ukraine and Poland. Trudeau says Canada is the seventh-largest contributor to defence of all 31 NATO allies, but he acknowledges there is still more to do. He met on Monday with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who … Read more
Defence Minister Bill Blair says he’s “not worried” about the United States’ continued commitment to NATO and other international alliances, including NORAD, amid recent comments from Republican presidential frontrunner Donald Trump. In an interview with Mercedes Stephenson from the Munich Security Conference that aired Sunday on The West Block, Blair said he’s “confident” not just that … Read more
Donald Trump’s recent threats that NATO members who miss their spending targets — like Canada — won’t be protected by the United States show he’s “serious” about ultimately withdrawing the U.S. from the military alliance, Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton says. That “simple view” of America’s relationships with its allies may likely inform … Read more
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau pledged to defend Canada’s “interests” in an increasingly “complex world,” but avoided criticizing former president Donald Trump, after he repeated his threat to turn his back on NATO members — like Canada — who miss their defence spending targets. “We’re always going to be there to work with our American partners,” … Read more
