The last time military officials, weapons contractors, and defence analysts met in the Paris suburb of Villepinte to attend the Eurosatory weapons trade fair was in 2018. Unfortunately, since 2018, much has happened. Not only did Covid-19 derail the exhibition’s biennial schedule, but the war in Ukraine has brought western Europe closer to the brink of armed conflict than at any point since perhaps the 1980s.
The 18th of May 2022 marked a major moment in the history of Finland and Sweden. After years of commitment to neutrality and non-alignment, both countries handed their official letters of application to join NATO. Their applications were warmly welcomed by most of the Allies, except for Turkey. Even though nothing has been concretised yet, the prospects of such an integration seem as exciting as they seem challenging.
The war in Ukraine has called into question the European and international security system, making the idea of military collaborations concrete, particularly between France and the United States. The two countries believe it is crucial to increase cooperation between the allies and implement European defence.
The ongoing geostrategic competition in the South Chinese Sea and the Indo-Pacific region, more broadly, is frequently thought of as a struggle between the USA and China. However, the deployment of both British and French naval assets in the Indo-Pacific makes clear that it is very much a European issue as well (Jennings, 2018; Loh, 21).
Slovakia's Defence Ministry said an agreement with Sweden would be signed to purchase 152 CV90 MkIV tracked infantry fighting vehicles equipped with 35 mm guns from BAE Hägglunds. The new vehicles will enable Slovakia to replace obsolete Soviet-made IFVs. Contextually, this purchase aims to materialise the attempt to build a heavy mechanised brigade, strengthen its defence and support local industry.
