The United States has approved Ukraine’s request to purchase three High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems. The Department of State classified the proposed foreign military sale as an emergency case and waived the required congressional review for the arms deal, according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The HIMARS shipment will cost around $30 million and...
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Category: Geopolitical Issues
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Sweden Looks to Strengthen Defense, Cybersecurity Partnership With US
Swedish government leaders are visiting the United States this week to strengthen trans-Atlantic cooperation on defense and cybersecurity. Carl-Oskar Bohlin, Sweden’s minister of civil defense, is scheduled to meet with representatives from the White House to discuss heightening geopolitical tensions and ongoing support for Ukraine. The delegation, including Swedish State Secretary Johan Berggren, is expected...
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Finland Moving Military Equipment Out of Russia’s Reach
Finland has been long planning to store some of its military equipment and defense capabilities out of Russia’s reach, according to Finnish officials. Jarmo Lindberg, a member of the parliament and formerly chief of defense, told Breaking Defense on Monday that the decision to store war materials in Norway and Sweden was prompted by Moscow’s...
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Lithuania, Netherlands Discuss Joint Efforts to Maintain Regional Security
The defense ministers of Lithuania and the Netherlands have affirmed their commitment to strengthening security in the Baltic region. During a meeting with his Lithuanian counterpart Laurynas Kasciunas, Dutch Minister of Defence Kajsa Ollongren revealed that Amsterdam is extending its participation in the enhanced Forward Presence Battalion Battle Group Lithuania for another two years. The...
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Defense Leaders Condemn Destabilizing Activities, Missile Launches in East Asia
The top defense officials of the United States, Australia and Japan expressed their opposition to “concerning and destabilizing” activities in East Asia during the 13th Trilateral Defense Ministerial Meeting in Hawaii on Thursday. Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Richard Marles, Japanese Minister of Defense Kihara Minoru and U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd...
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US Treasury Blocks Assets of Hezbollah Financial Backer’s Accomplices in Sanctions Avoidance
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has blocked all American property interests of several persons who were found helping Hassan Moukalled and his money-changer company CTEX Exchange avoid U.S. sanctions for supporting the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah. The department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control identified two of Moukalled’s sons, Firas and Rayyan, as among his...
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US, Sweden Agree to Closely Cooperate on Addressing Cyber Challenges
The United States and Sweden have agreed to closely cooperate on matters related to cyberthreats. Tobias Billstrom, Swedish minister of foreign affairs, said following a bilateral dialogue in Washington, D.C., on Thursday that collaborating with the U.S. on cyber and digital issues contributes to a safer Sweden and complements the country’s membership with the European...
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US Condemns Russia-Backed 2023 Cyberattack Targeting German Political Party
The United States has condemned the malicious cyber operations launched by Russia’s General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate against Germany and other European targets. “We join Germany in attributing specific malign activity carried out by APT28 that targeted a German political party,” the Department of State said in a statement Friday. “We call on Russia to...
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Lithuania Defense Minister Invites US Defense Contractors to Invest in the Country
Lithuania’s Minister of National Defence Laurynas Kasciunas has invited American defense companies to invest in his country. During a recent meeting with William LaPlante, U.S. undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, Kasciunas mentioned Rheinmetall’s plan to build an ammunition factory in Lithuania and added that he hopes other defense companies will follow suit. “We...
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US, UK, Canada Issue Warning Against Pro-Russian Hacktivist Threat to Critical Infrastructure
Cybersecurity agencies from the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada have issued a joint warning about Russian hacktivists’ threat to operational technology systems. A new report titled “Defending OT Operations Against Ongoing Pro-Russia Hacktivist Activity” revealed that pro-Russia threat actors have compromised small-scale OT systems across North America and Europe. “This year we have...