NATO defence ministers’ censure Russian cyber attacks and INF Treaty violation while taking forward decisions from July Summit

A review of the NATO Defence Ministers meeting, Brussels, 3-4 October 2018

By Dr. Ian Davis, NATO Watch

Key activities and decisions taken:

• The Defence Ministers addressed “serious concerns” about Russia’s “reckless pattern of behaviour”, including an “indiscriminate campaign of cyber attacks around the world” and alleged violation of the 1987 Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, and called on Russia to address those concerns.
• The Defence Ministers were briefed about a foiled Russian military intelligence service cyber operation against the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons; several member states, including the United States, offered their cyber capabilities to NATO.
• Defence Ministers from Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary and Slovenia signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create a Multinational Special Aviation Programme, which will establish a new training centre in Croatia by the end of 2019 dedicated exclusively to training air crews, who will conduct the insertion and extraction of Special Operations Forces.
• Defence Ministers from thirteen NATO allies signed a declaration of intent to cooperate on the introduction of Maritime Unmanned Systems.

The NATO defence ministers met in Brussels for a two-day meeting to discuss issues arising from the July NATO Summit. The agenda was focused on three main issues:

• progress in strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defence, which included a meeting of the Nuclear Planning Group and discussions on Russia’s alleged violations of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty, as well as NATO’s continued adaptation in response to conventional, hybrid and cyber threats;
• ongoing efforts to achieve fairer burden sharing within the alliance; and
• working with partners, including a meeting of the NATO-Georgia Commission and meetings with EU representatives.

Read the attached pdf briefing to find out more.