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☆ NATO's Stoltenberg hails 'encouraging' liberation of more Ukrainian territory
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, Nov 9 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday it was "encouraging" to see Ukrainian forces being able to liberate more of the country's territory, after Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu ordered his troops to withdraw from Kherson. Speaking in London where he was meeting British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Stoltenberg said: "It is encouraging to see how the brave Ukrainian forces are able to liberate more Ukrainian territory. Following the meeting with Sunak, a Downing Street spokesperson said the pair had emphasised the importance of continuing to support Ukrainian sovereignty. "(Stoltenberg) thanked the prime minister for the UK’s support for Ukraine, which the prime minister confirmed would continue under his leadership for as long as needed," the spokesperson said in a statement. Earlier, Stoltenberg joined British defence minister Ben Wallace to observe the training of Ukrainian troops in southeast England, as Britain announced the delivery of a further 12,000 extreme cold-weather sleeping kits for Ukraine.

☆ Germany's E.ON almost fully cuts value of Nord Stream 1 stake
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

FRANKFURT, Nov 9 (Reuters) - E.ON, Europe's biggest operator of energy networks, on Wednesday said it had almost fully cut the value of its stake in Nord Stream 1, reflecting damage to the pipeline that has made the asset inoperable and whose cause is yet to be determined. "Among the reasons for this are greater uncertainty amid the current situation and, since September 26, damage to both of Nord Stream 1's pipelines whose cause is as yet unclarified," the company said. Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 were damaged in September, and the gas transport infrastructure has been a focal point in the wider row between the West and Moscow. Adjusted net profit was also down 3% at 2.1 billion euros. The company still stuck to its 2022 outlook, expecting adjusted EBITDA of 7.6 billion to 7.8 billion euros and an adjusted net income of 2.3 billion to 2.5 billion euros.

☆ UK boosts support for Ukrainian troops through winter
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Alistair Smout | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/8] NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg observes Operation Interflex a UK led training programme for the Armed Forces of Ukraine during a visit to Lydd Camp in Kent, Britain. REUTERS/Chris RadburnSummary UK to send more cold-weather sleeping kits to UkraineAlso announces dispatch of more military equipmentNATO chief watches Ukrainian troops training in BritainLYDD, England, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Britain is stepping up its support for Ukrainian soldiers through the winter, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace told Reuters on Wednesday, following weeks of Ukrainian advances towards the southern city of Kherson. Wallace joined NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg to observe the training of Ukrainian troops in the southeast English town of Lydd, as Britain announced the delivery of a further 12,000 extreme cold-weather sleeping kits for Ukraine. "So we're determined ... to give Ukrainian soldiers the best basic skills because we already know that the Russian military aren't doing that." Stoltenberg, who said other NATO allies were also providing support to Ukrainian troops through the winter months, also met Britain's new prime minister, Rishi Sunak, on Wednesday in London, where they discussed the Atlantic alliance's continued support for Ukrainian sovereignty.

☆ Turkey Under Pressure to Ratify Sweden and Finland’s NATO Membership
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-04 | by ( Jared Malsin | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Jens Stoltenberg is expected to discuss Sweden and Finland’s membership of NATO when he meets President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. ISTANBUL—The West is putting pressure on Turkey to ratify Finland and Sweden’s accession to NATO as Turkish officials signal they still want the two Nordic countries to do more to clamp down on alleged Kurdish militants. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is scheduled to hold talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Friday as part of an effort to urge the Turkish government to give final approval to the two countries joining the alliance.

☆ Time to finalise Sweden's and Finland's entry to NATO, Stoltenberg says
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

ISTANBUL, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Sweden and Finland have delivered on the demands Turkey has set for their accession to NATO and time has come to welcome them to the alliance, NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday. "It's time to welcome Finland and Sweden as full members of NATO," Stoltenberg said at a news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Istanbul. "In these dangerous times it is even more important to finalise their accession, to prevent any misunderstanding or miscalculation in Moscow." Reporting by Bart Meijer Editing by Peter GraffOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Turkey says Sweden, Finland not yet done enough under NATO deal
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

ISTANBUL, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Turkey's foreign minister said on Thursday that Sweden and Finland have not yet fulfilled all obligations under a deal clearing their bids to join NATO, and they must still take concrete steps. Mevlut Cavusoglu, speaking alongside NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Istanbul, also said Turkey observed that Sweden's new government under Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson is taking a decisive approach to fulfilling obligations. Sweden and Finland signed a memorandum in June, resulting in NATO member Turkey lifting a veto of their applications to join the trans-Atlantic security alliance. The two asked to join in response to Russia's war in Ukraine, but Turkey sought extra guarantees, including that they not shelter Kurdish militants. Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun; Writing by Jonathan SpicerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Nord Stream 1 operator says it found craters at damaged pipeline site
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2, laid on the bed of the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, were damaged in September and the infrastructure has been a focal point in the wider row between the West and Moscow. Russia's defence ministry said on Saturday that British navy personnel blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines, a claim that London said was false. Sweden and Denmark have both concluded that four leaks on Nord Stream 1 and 2 were caused by explosions, but have not said who might be responsible. "The section of the pipe between the craters is destroyed, the radius of pipe fragments dispersion is at least 250 metres. Experts continue to analyse the survey data," Nord Stream AG added.

SummarySummary Companies Russia says UK navy personnel blew up pipelinesRussia says UK navy personnel helped attack CrimeaRussia does not give evidence for claimBritain denies Russian claimsLONDON, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Russia's defence ministry said on Saturday that British navy personnel blew up the Nord Stream gas pipelines last month, a claim that London said was false and designed to distract from Russian military failures in Ukraine. "To detract from their disastrous handling of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, the Russian Ministry of Defence is resorting to peddling false claims of an epic scale," it said. Russia has previously blamed the West for the explosions that ruptured the Russian-built Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines on the bed of the Baltic Sea. PIPELINE MYSTERYSweden and Denmark have both concluded that four leaks on Nord Stream 1 and 2 were caused by explosions, but have not said who might be responsible. The Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines have a joint annual capacity of 110 billion cubic metres - more than half of Russia's normal gas exports volumes.

☆ Investigators found Western parts in the Iranian drones Russia has been using to wage war in Ukraine and terrorize its cities
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-28 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russian forces have recently been using Iranian-made suicide drones to terrorize Ukrainian cities. Investigators inspecting downed drones have found US and European parts inside of them, The Wall Street Journal reported. Both Russia and Iran have denied the use of such weapons, despite evidence from the West. Iranian-made drones used by Russian forces include the Shahed-136, Shahed-129, Shahed-191, and Qods Mohajer-6. Both Russia and Iran have denied the use of Shahed-136 drones in Ukraine, despite accusations and evidence from Western governments and their intelligence agencies.

☆ Exclusive: U.S. considers HAWK air defense equipment for Ukraine, say U.S. officials
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Mike Stone | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, Oct 25 (Reuters) - The United States is considering sending older HAWK air defense equipment from storage to Ukraine to help it defend against Russian drone and cruise missile attacks, two U.S. officials told Reuters. The HAWK interceptor missiles would be an upgrade to the Stinger missile systems - a smaller, shorter range air defense system - that the United States has already sent to blunt Russia's invasion. The PDA allows the United States to transfer defense articles and services from stocks quickly without congressional approval in response to an emergency. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReuters was unable to determine how many HAWK systems and missiles the United States has available to transfer. The HAWK system is the predecessor to PATRIOT missile defense system made by Raytheon Technologies (RTX.N) which remains off the table for Ukraine, U.S. officials have told Reuters.

☆ Explainer: Why drones pose a different challenge for Ukraine than missiles
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Peter Graff | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Both are types of aircraft that fly to a target and explode when they get there, but they pose different threats. Missiles, each costing hundreds of thousands or millions of dollars, fly fast, are hard to shoot down and carry a huge explosive payload. Germany sent the first of four IRIS-T air defence systems to Ukraine last week. DRONESUnmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, can be used for surveillance or as a platform to fire munitions at the ground. Russia has already used hundreds of them against Ukraine in just the past few weeks, and is believed to have acquired as many as 2,000 from Iran.

☆ NATO will send 'hundreds' of signal-jammers to Ukraine to counter Russia's onslaught of explosive Iranian-made suicide drones
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-18 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

NATO is sending signal-jammers to Ukraine so it can counter Iranian-made suicide drones. These systems will help Ukraine address the "specific threat of drones, including, of course, Iranian-made drones that are now causing a lot of havoc or suffering in Ukraine," Stoltenberg said during the virtual interview. "I welcome @JensStoltenberg's statement on NATO planning to deliver anti-drone air defense systems to Ukraine in the coming days. A composite photo showing a drone in the sky in Kyiv and the aftermath of it hitting in Kyiv, Ukraine, on October 17, 2022. As recently as Monday, Ukrainian officials said Russia used a swarm of suicide drones to attack Kyiv — killing several.

☆ NATO to keep close eye on Russia's upcoming nuclear exercise - Stoltenberg
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 13 (Reuters) - NATO will monitor an expected upcoming Russian nuclear exercise very closely, the alliance's chief said on Thursday, in particular in light of Moscow's latest nuclear threats related to its conflict in Ukraine. "We have monitored Russian nuclear forces for decades and of course we will continue to monitor them very closely and we will stay vigilant - also when they now start a new exercise," NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters. "What I can say is that this exercise, the Russian exercise, is an annual exercise. It's an exercise where they test and exercise their nuclear forces," he added, apparently referring to Russia's annual Grom exercise that normally takes place in late October and in which Russia tests its nuclear-capable bombers, submarines and missiles. And of course we will remain vigilant, not least in light of the veiled nuclear threats and the dangerous rhetoric we have seen from the Russian side," Stoltenberg said.

☆ Upcoming Russian nuclear exercises a challenge for the West
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Phil Stewart | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Russia typically holds major annual nuclear exercises around this time of year, and U.S. and Western officials expect them perhaps in just days. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg assured a news conference in Brussels that the alliance would monitor Russia's annual nuclear drills very closely, as it has for decades. "We believe that Russian nuclear rhetoric and its decision to proceed with this exercise while at war with Ukraine is irresponsible," the official told Reuters. The Russian Defense Ministry did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment. "While we will continue routine activities to sustain our (nuclear) deterrent, there will be no special messaging around our exercises," the U.S. defense official said.

☆ Is this a drill? Upcoming Russian nuclear exercises a challenge for the West
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Phil Stewart | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 13 (Reuters) - The United States reaffirmed its commitment to defend "every inch" of NATO territory ahead of talks among defense ministers from the alliance on Thursday that will include closed-door discussions by its nuclear planning group. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterAustin spoke shortly before attending a meeting by NATO's Nuclear Planning Group, which is NATO's senior body on nuclear matters and handles policy issues associated with its nuclear forces. NATO's website says its nuclear policy is under "constant review, and is modified and adapted in light of new developments." "We're going to stay with our efforts to support Ukraine for as long as it takes," Austin said alongside NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg. NATO told Moscow on Tuesday it would meet attacks on allies' critical infrastructure with a "united and determined response."

☆ Russia is bruised as winter approaches. Can Ukraine land another blow?
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-13 | by ( Rob Picheta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

That blast, which was used by the Kremlin as a justification for Monday’s onslaught, bruised the Russian psyche and handed Ukraine a significant strategic boost. And the airborne strikes distract from what has been a dismal stretch for Russia in the ground war. They were “an indication of the nature of the threat from Russia,” Giles said. “The reopening of a northern front would be another new challenge for Ukraine,” Giles said. Beyond weapons supplies, Ukraine will be watching to ensure that Western resolve stays firm if Russia tightens energy supplies even further.

☆ The US and other NATO allies are rushing to get air defense systems to Ukraine after Russia let loose a barrage of missiles and explosive suicide drones
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The US and other NATO allies have in turn stepped up efforts to send Ukraine air defense systems. Among these advanced systems are the IRIS-T SLM and NASAMS. Since then, NATO countries like the US, Germany, and the Netherlands have publicly expressed a desire to quickly get air defense systems into the hands of Ukrainian forces. Germany's defense ministry said on Monday that it was delivering the first of four IRIS-T SLM air defense systems to Ukraine, adding that the recent attacks show "how important the air defense capability for Ukraine's self-defense is." The advanced IRIS-T SLM can defend against missiles as far as 25 miles away and hit targets flying at an altitude of around 12 miles.

Advanced air defence systems are designed to protect entire cities from air attacks. Russian air raids on Monday killed 19 people in Ukraine, wounded more than 100 and knocked out power supplies across the country. On Tuesday, Ukraine received the first of four IRIS-T SLM air defence systems Germany promised to supply, a German defence ministry source said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterNATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, speaking ahead of a two-day meeting of the alliance's defence ministers on Oct 12-13 in Brussels, urged allies to provide additional air defence systems. Discussions of the more than 50 countries will focus on providing additional air defence systems to Ukraine, said the U.S. ambassador to NATO, Julianne Smith.

☆ Biden calls Putin a 'rational actor' amid Russia's latest missile strikes in Ukraine and threat of nuclear warfare: CNN
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Lloyd Lee | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

President Joe Biden told CNN that Russian President Vladimir Putin is a "rational actor." The president added that Putin made a poor decision in assuming Ukraine would immediately fold. "I think he is a rational actor who has miscalculated significantly," Biden said in an interview with CNN's Jake Tapper on Tuesday. Biden's characterization of Putin as a rationally thinking leader also comes after the Russian president's veiled threat of nuclear war. In discussing Putin's goals in Ukraine with CNN, Biden questioned the Russian leader's decision and said that Putin misjudged Ukraine if he thought the country would immediately fold.

☆ Kremlin scolds West for 'provocative' nuclear rhetoric
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-12 | by ( Guy Faulconbridge | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Summary Kremlin scolds WestKremlin says no moves toward Biden meetLONDON, Oct 12 (Reuters) - The Kremlin on Wednesday scolded Western leaders for engaging in "provocative" nuclear rhetoric after a series of warnings from Russia, the United States and NATO on the dangers of escalating the Ukraine conflict into a nuclear war. President Vladimir Putin on Sept. 21 warned the West he was not bluffing when he said he would be ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia against what he said was "nuclear blackmail" from major Western powers. U.S. President Joe Biden, who has cautioned that the world faced the biggest risk of nuclear Armageddon since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis, said he doubted that Putin would use a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register"We express our daily regret that Western heads of state, in the United States and Europe, engage in nuclear rhetoric every day," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said of Biden's interview to CNN. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Guy Faulconbridge; Editing by Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ European weapons manufacturers scramble to adapt to wartime demand
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( Benoit Van Overstraeten | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the alliance has started dialogue with industry and allies on how to boost production and replenish weapons stocks. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterHe told a news conference that defence ministers would take decisions to increase stockpiles. Nicolas Chamussy, chief executive of French defence firm Nexter, said industry had to respond to a dramatic increase in EU demand for military equipment, while production capacities were designed for peace time. Last Friday European Union leaders agreed to give more financial and military aid to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy will ask the leaders of the G7 group of nations to urgently supply Ukraine with air defence weapons.

☆ NATO chief: 'Ukraine has the momentum' in war, allies stand with Kyiv
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, Oct 11 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said on Tuesday that "Ukraine has the momentum" in the war with Russia and the Western defence alliance would stand with Kyiv as long as it takes. "While Russia is increasingly resorting to horrific and indiscriminate attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure, President Putin is failing in Ukraine," Stoltenberg told a news conference on the eve of a meeting of NATO defence ministers in Brussels. He said NATO would hold its annual nuclear deterrence exercise next week and was closely monitoring Russia's nuclear forces. "We have not seen any changes in Russia's posture but we remain vigilant," he added. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Sabine Siebold and Philip BlenkinsopOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

BRUSSELS, Oct 11 (Reuters) - NATO told Moscow on Tuesday it would meet attacks on allies' critical infrastructure with a "united and determined response" and was also monitoring Russia's nuclear forces closely as the country was "losing on the battlefield" in Ukraine. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that while the defence alliance had not seen any changes in Russia's nuclear posture, it was vigilant and would proceed with a nuclear preparedness exercise of its own next week. "Now is the right time to be firm and to be clear that NATO is there to protect and defend all allies... It would send a very wrong signal if we suddenly now cancelled a routine, long-time-planned exercise because of the war in Ukraine," Stoltenberg said. "We will further increase protection of critical infrastructure in light of the sabotage of the Nord Stream pipelines," he said.

☆ Attacks against NATO allies critical infrastructure to be met with determined response - NATO chief
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

BRUSSELS, Sept 29 (Reuters) - NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday that a deliberate attack against allies' infrastructure would be met with a determined response, following what it called acts of "sabotage" on the Nord Stream pipelines. "All currently available information indicates that this is the result of deliberate, reckless, and irresponsible acts of sabotage," NATO said in a statement. "We, as Allies, have committed to prepare for, deter and defend against the coercive use of energy and other hybrid tactics by state and non-state actors. Any deliberate attack against Allies’ critical infrastructure would be met with a united and determined response," it said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com RegisterReporting by Marine Strauss Editing by Raissa KasolowskyOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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