NATO update

 

The 2023 NATO Summit in retrospect John Weaver The Heads of State and Government of NATO countries convened in Vilnius, Lithuania for a summit that took place on 11 and 12 July. This, unequivocally, was the most important meeting of the summer 2023. Due to a plethora of international issues, politics, and global security, this year’s event became the epicenter and confluence of significant issues requiring Allied Leaders to take definitive action. These decisions will have impacts for years to come. READ/LISTEN MORE

Colourful jerseys on a warship’s flight deck Ever wondered why these warship sailors wear different coloured jerseys and cranials on the flight deck? A hundred years ago, when the US Navy’s first aircraft carrier USS Langley set sail, the sailors created a colour-coded system to ensure order and safety on the flight deck. In today’s navy, our Allied sailors still use this colour-coded system to conduct flight operations efficiently on a warship. Filmed during exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2023, and including footage from other US carriers engaged in different exercises with NATO Allies, this video shows how this simple – and colourful – system helps smooth out operations and tasks on deck. During BALTOPS, the USS carrier Mount Whitney trained with NATO Allies and partners large-scale maritime and amphibious operations in the Baltic Sea. Click here to download the video.  You can also watch the video on YouTube. NATO Allies and partners equip and train the Ukrainian army NATO Allies and partners are equipping and training Ukrainian soldiers on air defence systems, tanks, artillery and long-range missiles, helping them to continue defending their country and retake occupied land. NATO stands with the people of Ukraine and its legitimate, democratically elected president, parliament and government. The Alliance will always maintain its unwavering support for Ukraine's independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders extending to its territorial waters. Click here to download the video and here for the b-roll.  You can also watch the video on YouTube. 21 July 2023 Update NATO Secretary General meets President of Serbia to discuss challenges in northern Kosovo NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg met President Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia in Brussels on 19 July 2023 in order to discuss tensions in northern Kosovo. Mr Stoltenberg called the recent violence against KFOR peacekeepers unacceptable, underlining that KFOR has deployed 500 additional troops to Kosovo and stands ready to act as necessary, in line with its UN mandate. READ MORE Secretary General to Ukraine Defense Contact Group: NATO support will continue for as long as it takes Participating in a virtual meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group on 18 July 2023 Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg outlined the major decisions taken at the Vilnius Summit to support Ukraine for the long haul. READ MORE Allies approve NATO’s first Policy on the Protection of Children in Armed Conflict; strengthen Policy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings Children are regular targets and victims of grave human rights violations during armed conflicts. At the Vilnius Summit (11-12 July 2023), Allies approved NATO’s first Policy on the Protection of Children in Armed Conflict, stepping up NATO’s contributions to international efforts under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1612 (2005). READ MORE NATO Allies put the “special” in “special relationship” – UK Royal Marines train with US Green Berets in Germany The United Kingdom and the United States have long enjoyed a “special relationship” – a phrase first coined by British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in 1946 to describe the strong cultural, political and military ties between the two countries based on their shared history. READ MORE Deep Dive Recap: Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defence and the Gender Perspective On the 12 July 2023, the NATO International Military Staff Office of the Gender Advisor hosted its twelfth Deep Dive Session focused on Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Defence and the Gender Perspective. READ MORE NATO Defense College Change of Command and Senior Course Graduation On 13 July 2023, Admiral Rob Bauer, Chair of the NATO Military Committee visited the NATO Defense College (NDC) in Rome, Italy. Invited as a guest of honour, and welcomed with a Military Honour Guard, Admiral Bauer delivered keynote addresses for the dual celebrations of the Change of Command and the Senior Course 142 Graduation. READ MORE NATO’s new defence plans NATO is undertaking the most significant overhaul of its force structure since the end of the Cold War. WATCH VIDEO THIS WEEK IN PICTURES