The weekly SITREP (Situational Report) brings relevant events that happened in the Baltic region during the week that were either too small to be implemented in a full analysis or could not be published in full due to time restrictions. They nevertheless provide important background information concerning the Baltic Region.
General
- General Denis Mercier, former head of the French air force and now supreme allied commander for transformation has called on a rapid responsiveness in political decisions. While NATO troops are fast to intervene in a crisis they can only move once a political decision has been made. General Denis Mercier also called on the European NATO members to increase their defence spending in the coming months in order to maintain NATO’s credibility.
- US Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump once again called NATO members to pay the demanded 2% GDP.
Belarus
- India and Belarus are looking to increase their mutual economic cooperation. This indicates that Belarus is keen to look for trading partners other than Russia and the EU.
Denmark
- A mallard duck farm near the north Jutland town of Nibe has been infected with a low pathogenic type of avian influenza H5, according to the Danish veterinary and food administration Fødevarestyrelsen. All 1.200 ducks were killed to prevent the virus from spreading and a surveillance zone with a one kilometre radius around the farm has been set up.
Estonia
- Economic growth in the second quarter of 2016 was just 0.6% and below the expectations set out by the Estonian government.
Finland
- The EU allocated € 187.5 mln for the Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia.
Germany
- The Nord Stream pipeline, transporting natural gas from Russia to Germany, will be shut down from Aug. 9 to 17 for a planned maintenance.
- Germany and the Netherlands are working to create a joint air and missile defense task force – equipped with Patriot rockets – that will likely see future deployments in Poland or the Baltic states.
- Rheinmetall submitted an offer to upgrade the Chalanger 2 MBTs of the British Army.
Latvia
- The Latvian government approved proposal of the national Defense Ministry to criminalize enrollment in the foreign armed forces. Amendments exempt armies of the EU or NATO countries as well as those of Australia, Brazil and New Zealand from the ban.
- Latvia received two AN/MPQ-64F1 Sentinel Radar systems from the United States.
Lithuania
- Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Linas Linkevičius believes that the West should continue sanctions against Russia.
Sweden
- A deal between Ecuador and Sweden allows Sweden to question Wikileaks founder Jullian Assange.
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