Latest news with #militaryalliance
Forbes
18-07-2025
- Politics
- Forbes
Russia's Military Alliance Is Slowly Unraveling
ASTANA, KAZAKHSTAN - NOVEMBER 8: Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev (C), Russian President ... More Vladimir Putin (3rd R), Kyrgyz President Sooronbay Jeenbekov (3rd L), Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon (2nd R), Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan (L) and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko (2nd L) pose for a photo during a session of the Collective Security Council of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) at the Independence Palace on November 8, 2018 in Astana, Kazakhstan. Leaders of Russia, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Tajikistan and Kyrgystan have gathered in Astana for a one-day summit. (Photo by Aliia Raimbekova/) Getty Images Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan held a press conference with media representatives this week to discuss Armenia's economic and social issues, as well as the country's relationship with Russia. During the session, he also hinted at Armenia's future in the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO). Formed in 1992, the CSTO was created to serve as a military alliance for countries in Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia. The organization, led by Russia, was seen as a successor to the Soviet-led Warsaw Pact during the Cold War. Armenia was one of the founding members of the CSTO. Since joining the organization, the Armenian military has conducted numerous training exercises and operations with the other CSTO members. The Armenians even chaired the organization in 2021. Since then, Armenia's relationship with the CSTO and Russia has faltered. Armenia accused the CSTO of failing to 'fulfill its obligations to Armenia.' The Armenians stated that the collective did not send protection during Azerbaijan's attacks in 2020 and 2023. As a result, Armenia froze its membership in the organization in February 2024. Since then, Armenia has not participated in CSTO training exercises. During the July 16 press conference, Pashinyan was asked about Armenia's future in the CSTO. The Armenian prime minister stated that it was 'more likely for Armenia to withdraw from [the CSTO] than to reactivate its membership.' Should Armenia withdraw from the CSTO, it would not be the first time a country has left the organization. For example, after joining in 1992, Azerbaijan and Georgia did not to renew their membership in 1999. Instead, these two countries chose to develop stronger relationships with other countries and organizations beyond the Russian-led CSTO. Then, in 2012, Uzbekistan withdrew from the CSTO after it claimed the collective had failed to come to its defense during a skirmish with fellow CSTO member Kyrgyzstan. Other countries have had issues with the CSTO and Russia. For example, Kazakhstan has toyed with the future of its membership. When the Russian Federation launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the Russians turned to the CSTO for assistance. In response, the Kazakh government rejected Russia's full-scale invasion by not supporting Russian territorial gains in Ukraine. Instead, the Kazakh government sent humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Kazakh officials have also distanced themselves from Russia. For example, in October 2022, Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev opted not to hold a bilateral meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin during a summit in Kazakhstan. The episode caused Putin to state that Russia demanded respect from Kazakhstan. Then, in June 2023, Tokayev did not attend a Russian-led economic forum in St. Petersburg. Since then, Kazakh officials have begun meeting more regularly with their counterparts from the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. CSTO members Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan have not been as defiant toward Russia as Armenia and Kazakhstan. But they still have had their differences. In the case of Belarus, the Belarusian military has continued to hold training exercises and engagements with Russian forces. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has also met with Putin frequently to discuss the economic and energy relationship between Belarus and Russia. Despite this continued interaction, Lukashenko has repeatedly denied Putin's request to send Belarusian soldiers into Ukraine. In addition, a Newsweek report stated that most Belarusian citizens oppose their country's participation in Russia's war. Similarly, several Belarusian military officers do not want to participate in Russia's war. Meanwhile, the Kyrgyzstani government has been hesitant toward its relationship with the CSTO and Russia. In October 2022, Kyrgyzstani President Sadyr skipped an economic gathering organized by the Russian Federation. Kyrgyzstan then canceled a CSTO training exercise that it was supposed to host. Additionally, the Kyrgyzstani government has not deployed soldiers to assist Russia in its war. Finally, a report by The Diplomat stated that the Kyrgyzstani government has advised citizens not to travel to Russia. Finally, like the other CSTO members, Tajikistan has opted not to send soldiers to help Russia fight in its war against Ukraine. Additionally, a report by Eurasianet found that several dual Tajik-Russian citizens have considered relinquishing their Russian nationality as they do not want to be conscripted into the Russian army. Given these developments, a sense of uneasiness is growing across the CSTO. Some members have begun distancing themselves from the Russian Federation, and two countries have openly defied the military organization. The CSTO was formed as a successor to the Warsaw Pact, but the organization is now facing serious challenges. It remains to be seen how Russia will mend its relationship with the other members so that its security collective does not falter.
Fox News
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Russia's Lavrov warns US against 'exploiting' alliances as he meets with Kim Jong Un in North Korea
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stressed Russia and North Korea's "invincible fighting brotherhood" and warned the U.S., Japan and South Korea against forming an antagonistic alliance during a meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Wonsan, North Korea, Saturday, according to the Russian foreign ministry. "We warn against exploiting these ties to build alliances directed against anyone, including North Korea and, of course, Russia," Lavrov said, according to Russia's state Tass news agency. Russia and North Korea have bolstered their ties over the last few years, with North Korea providing troops and munitions to Russia in support of the war in Ukraine and Russia providing military and economic assistance to the closed-off dictatorship. Russian President Vladimir Putin also visited North Korea last year. The U.S., South Korea and Japan have been expanding or restoring their trilateral military exercises in response to North Korea's advancing nuclear program. On Friday, the three countries held a joint air drill involving U.S. nuclear-capable bombers near the Korean Peninsula, and their top military officers met in Seoul and urged North Korea to cease all unlawful activities that threaten regional security. North Korea may deploy more troops this summer, according to South Korean intelligence. Lavrov called the meeting a continuation of the countries' "strategic dialogue" and said he hoped for more direct meetings in the future. "We exchanged views on the situation surrounding the Ukrainian crisis. ... Our Korean friends confirmed their firm support for all the objectives of the special military operation, as well as for the actions of the Russian leadership and armed forces," TASS quoted Lavrov as saying. Deputy Foreign Minister Andrei Rudenko said more Russian delegations would visit North Korea later in the year, TASS reported. Lavrov is next scheduled to travel to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation meeting early next week.
Al Jazeera
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Russia's Lavrov meets Kim Jong Un in North Korea with Ukraine war at fore
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has met with Kim Jong Un in North Korea, during which Pyongyang reaffirmed its support for Russia's war in Ukraine in which thousands of its soldiers have been killed. Lavrov 'was received' by Kim, Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Telegram on Saturday, posting a video of the two men shaking hands and embracing in Wonsan. Russian and North Korean state media had announced the visit earlier, saying Lavrov would stay until Sunday. It is the latest in a series of high-profile trips by top Moscow officials to North Korea as the countries deepen military and political ties with a focus on Russia's offensive in Ukraine. Pyongyang has become one of Moscow's main allies during its more than three-year-long war in Ukraine, sending thousands of troops and conventional weapons to help the Kremlin remove Ukrainian forces from Kursk in Russia. More than 6,000 North Korean soldiers have died in the Russia-Ukraine war, according to British Defence Intelligence. North Korea has also agreed to dispatch 6,000 military engineers and builders to help reconstruction efforts there. The South Korean intelligence service has said North Korea may be preparing to deploy additional troops in July or August. The United States and South Korea have expressed concern that, in return, Kim may seek Russian technology transfers that could enhance the threat posed by his nuclear-armed military. Earlier on Saturday, Lavrov met with his North Korean counterpart Choe Son Hui in Wonsan, a city on the country's east coast, where a huge resort was opened earlier this month. 'We exchanged views on the situation surrounding the Ukrainian crisis … Our Korean friends confirmed their firm support for all the objectives of the special military operation, as well as for the actions of the Russian leadership and armed forces,' Russian news agency TASS quoted Lavrov as saying. He also thanked the 'heroic' North Korean soldiers, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. In April, the two countries officially confirmed the deployment of North Korean troops to Russia for the first time, saying these troops had helped Russia to recapture the Kursk region – a claim contested by Ukraine. Since then, Kim has been shown in state media paying tribute in front of flag-draped coffins of North Korean soldiers. Russia's Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu has visited Pyongyang multiple times this year. The two heavily sanctioned nations signed a sweeping military deal last November, including a mutual defence clause, during a rare visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to North Korea. Pyongyang has reportedly been directly arming Moscow to support its war in Ukraine. In the meantime, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in his nightly address on Friday that US weapons shipments to his country had resumed, following the Pentagon's decision to briefly halt the delivery of certain weapons to Kyiv over fears that US stockpiles were dwindling. The US will deliver military supplies and send its envoy Keith Kellogg to Kyiv early next week, said Zelenskyy.
SBS Australia
26-06-2025
- Business
- SBS Australia
NATO allies raise defence spending at summit dominated by Donald Trump
NATO countries have agreed to hike defence spending at a major summit in The Hague. The military alliance endorsed raising member countries' defence spending goal from two per cent of GDP to five per cent by 2035. It follows sustained pressure from US President Donald Trump, whose leadership was praised at the summit by NATO Secretary Mark Rutte. "We stand together, united in NATO, the most powerful defensive alliance in world history. President Trump, dear Donald, you made this change possible. Your leadership on this has already produced one trillion dollars in extra spending from European allies since 2016. And the decisions today will produce trillions more for our common defence to make us stronger and fairer by equalising spending between America and America's allies." Spain stood out as a notable exception, refusing to commit to the spending boost, which prompted this warning from Mr Trump. "I'm going to negotiate directly with Spain. I'm going to do it myself. They're going to pay, they'll pay more money this way. You should tell them to go back and pay - you're a reporter? Tell them to go back. They ought to join all of those countries that are paying five per cent." The US President has dominated the summit, with a series of characteristically controversial comments. He compared the recent US strike on Iran's nuclear facilities with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, for example. Mr Rutte also captured attention with his colourful comparison of Donald Trump to a geopolitical "daddy" when discussing the Israel-Iran war. TRUMP: "They're not going to be fighting each other. They've had it. They've had a big fight, like two kids in a schoolyard. You know, they fight like hell. You can't stop them. Let them fight for about two, three minutes. Then it's easier to stop them." RUTTE: "And then daddy has to sometimes use strong language." TRUMP: "You have to use strong language, every once in a while, you have to use a certain word." That certain word was an expletive uttered by Mr Trump on his way to the summit - as he tried to hold together the ceasefire he'd brokered. "We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the f**k they're doing." So far the ceasefire appears to be holding, something many Western leaders see as lending credence to Mr Trump's self-styled role as a peacemaker. One conflict the US president has had less success in ending is Russia's war with Ukraine, despite declaring during the presidential campaign he could end the war in one day. Resolving the conflict was high on the NATO agenda, and Australia's Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles offered more support at the summit to help Ukraine continue fighting. ' We have been able to announce that we will be deploying an E-7 Wedgetail to Poland in August for a three month rotation, which will help support Ukraine in its struggle and defiance against Russia. There'll be about 100 strand personnel who come with that asset. In addition to that, we've also announced more sanctions in relation to Russia." Under the arrangement, Australia will apply travel bans and financial sanctions to an additional 37 individuals, in an effort to weaken Russia's economy and push it towards peace with Ukraine. The US president also took the opportunity to pressure Russia, calling on President Vladimir Putin to end the war, and raising the prospect of more military support for Ukraine. "So let me just tell you, they do want to have the anti-missile missiles. Okay. As they call them. The Patriots and, we're going to see if we can make some available. You know, they're very hard to get. We need them too." Hanging over the summit was the more fundamental question of whether the United States remains committed to Article 5 - which outlines NATO's mutual defence guarantees. Mr Trump gave an ambiguous response when asked about this - which is unlikely to satisfy the concerns of countries left unsure about longstanding security arrangements. "Depends on your definition, there's numerous definitions of Article 5, you know that, right? But I'm committed to being their friend. You know, I've become friends with many of those leaders, and I'm committing to helping them."
The Guardian
25-06-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Trump praises Nato states as summit prepares to lift defence spending target
Donald Trump praised Nato countries for being willing to lift defence spending to 5% in his first public remarks at the military alliance's annual summit, and said that he expected the US to be fully in support. The president was speaking at a preliminary press conference in The Hague that was dominated by his rejection of overnight reports that Iran's nuclear sites were not destroyed in US bombing, and where he was also praised by the Nato chief, Mark Rutte, for being the 'daddy'. Asked about Nato before a morning plenary session of the leaders of all 32 Nato countries, where they will sign off on the spending increase, Trump said: 'We're with them all the way. They have very big things to announce today. 'I've been asking to go up to 5% for a number of years and they're going up to 5%, from 2%, and a lot of people didn't even pay the 2%. I think that's going to be very big news. Nato's going to become very strong with us.' Under the new plan, Nato members will commit to lifting defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, of which 3.5% is core military spending and the rest is infrastructure, intelligence, cybersecurity and other spending allies can already match. Trump's comments bode well for the alliance, which Trump has in the past doubted, complaining that its other members from Europe and Canada do not spend enough on defence while taking advantage of the US security umbrella. Eager to maintain Trump's upbeat mood, Rutte, the former Dutch prime minister, responded with praise. 'I want to state that without President Trump this would not have happened,' and said that today would come 'the big splash'. The new targets, Rutte continued, were 'not about US taxpayers paying more' – with the US nearly in line with the 3.5% military spending target – but about 'Europe and Canada paying more' to in most cases increase their defence budgets. Trump agreed and said that his predecessor Joe Biden had failed to make any progress on the issue. 'When Biden was here it just died, it just died, like everything else died,' he said. The secretary general also said that Trump's bombing of Iran's nuclear sites with 14 13,000kg (30,000lb) bunker-busting bombs, was 'extremely impressive' and sent a signal to other countries beyond Iran that Trump was a 'a man of peace' who was willing to use the 'enormous strength of the US military'. After a discussion about the damage to Iran's nuclear sites, which included sweeping criticism by Trump of CNN and the New York Times for reporting on the US damage assessments, Rutte sought to end the discussion with further praise. Recalling Trump's strong outburst on Iran and Israel on Tuesday – where he accused both countries of not knowing 'what the fuck they're doing' amid reports of breaches by both of a ceasefire he had imposed – Rutte said: 'Daddy sometimes has to use strong language.'
