Category: Europe

The Deputy Secretary General said that in addition to excellent academic institutions, the finest researchers and creative start-ups, NATO has free and open societies where talent can thrive, people can create, and financing can flow, highlighting that democracies unleash creativity, while authoritarian systems restrict it. He said that to keep setting the pace of technological developments, NATO is innovating cooperatively, differently and, most of all, responsibly.

Admiral Bauer’s visit started with a wreath laying ceremony at the Vitkov National Memorial – a symbol of Czechoslovak and Czech statehood, and the home of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. After the ceremony, at the General Staff Building, the Chair met with Lieutenant General Řehka and with other senior General Staff officials. Their exchanges centred, inter alia, on the security situation in the region and the importance of national resilience to keep working together for our Euro-Atlantic security. Stressing that NATO will continue to ensure all its Allies remain safe from any threat, Admiral Bauer noted how “National resilience is an essential basis for credible collective deterrence and defence, and is therefore vital to NATO’s efforts to safeguard its people and its democratic values”. 

The two high level military authorities then moved to Czechia’s Ministry of Defence for a working lunch with Deputy Minister of Defence, Mr Daniel Blažkovec. Discussing Czechia’s contributions to NATO’s mission, operations and activities – including with a focus the Czech-led multinational battlegroup in Slovakia – Admiral Bauer praised the continued advancement in its defence capabilities, highlighting the importance this bears for the collective defence of the Alliance as a whole: “Czechia is a strong Ally within our Alliance and is working to further strengthen its own defence, while also providing security beyond its own borders,” he stated, adding that “this helps NATO ensure the protection and defence of the Euro-Atlantic area”, he stated.  Relatedly, the Chair also praised Czechia for the remarkable support it has been providing to Ukraine. 

This message was reiterated by the Chair in his remarks at the CEVRO Institute, in the afternoon, where he addressed NATO’s response to a new era of Collective Defence. “NATO is undergoing unprecedented change at an unprecedented pace. But our resolve remains unwavering”, said the Admiral. Outlining NATO’s most significant transformation since the Cold War, he conveyed to the students a strong message of resolve and unity: “Every day we build on the strong ties between Allies and harvest the centuries of military expertise that we possess. And as a defensive Alliance, NATO continues to send an unmistakable message to any potential aggressor: We are united. We are resolute. But above all, we are stronger together.”

During his visit to Prague, Admiral Bauer also had the honour to meet with President of the Czech Republic, H.E. Petr Pavel. He thanked the former Chair of the NATO Military Committee – and first one from an Eastern European country – for his personal relentless commitment to the Alliance, and praised Czechia for being a longstanding staunch NATO Ally since: “Czechia has been walking side by side with its Allies since 1999 – and we keep charting the path ahead”. 

In subsequent meetings with representatives of the Czech Parliament – including the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security Committee of the Senate of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Mr. Pavel Fischer and the Chairman of the Defence Committee of the Chamber of Deputies of the Parliament of the Czech Republic, Mr. Lubomír Metnar – the Admiral extended his gratitude for Czech’s leadership endeavour to spending 2 percent of its GDP on defence next year.

Organized in the framework of the NATO-Ukraine Platform on Countering Hybrid Warfare, the event took place, for the first time, in the Republic of Moldova. It offered the opportunity to strengthen dialogue and cooperation between Ukraine and Moldova’s security and defence institutions, as well as to enhance inter-agency cooperation. Representatives from Allied nations and the EUPartnership Mission in Moldova also contributed to the discussions.

The participants focused on a range of issues related to hybrid threats and resilience, including: strategic communications and disinformation, government and inter-government cooperation, energy security, and protection of critical infrastructure. “These expert consultations aim to strengthen resilience and facilitate the prevention and countering of hybrid attacks. The presence of so many experts is a unique opportunity to highlight and analyse common hybrid risks and threats to Moldova and Ukraine,” said Michaela Šimáková, Head of the NATO Liaison Office in Moldova. 

The Platform was launched in 2016 as a tool for NATO and Ukraine to facilitate exchanges on Russian hybrid tactics, including by developing tools to defend and enhance resilience. The work of the Platform is open to select partners facing hybrid pressure from Russia. 

Helping troops identify NATO equipment

The main purpose of the ”NATO Proliferation Playing Cards” is to help troops on the ground become familiar with NATO equipment that has been adopted for use in non-NATO countries, so that they can distinguish this equipment from that of the enemy and prevent friendly fire.

The card deck went into production before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. While this tool was not created specifically with the war against Ukraine in mind, it will be particularly useful to Ukrainian forces, who are currently fighting to free their territory from Russia’s illegal occupation.

NATO Allies have sent billions of euros worth of military equipment to Ukraine to help Kyiv defend itself against Russia’s war of aggression. Allies have also trained Ukrainian soldiers to use advanced weapons systems, vehicles and other gear. NATO itself has coordinated the donation and delivery of non-lethal assistance to Ukraine, including medical supplies, fuel, combat rations and protective equipment. (Read more about NATO’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.)

The cards will help Ukrainian troops identify some of the main pieces of this gear, and also provide them with additional information, including the names of the equipment, its main weapon, the country of manufacture and other countries that have purchased it. The deck contains 52 cards and two jokers. Each card features a piece of gear from a NATO Ally, with suits and numbers randomly assigned. For instance, the seven of spades shows the German-made Gepard anti-aircraft gun, the five of diamonds highlights the French Eurocopter AS532 Cougar and the eight of diamonds features a Slovak-made Dana SPH howitzer. Because the cards went into production prior to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the deck may be missing some of the equipment that Allies have provided to assist Ukraine since. 

The “NATO Proliferation Playing Cards” are available on the Central Army Registry (CAR) website. They can be printed off for use as memory flashcards, or to play any card game, from solitaire to hearts to poker.

Cards on the battlefield – a historical tradition

Card games have been a staple for troops in the field since at least the First World War. During their downtime in the trenches, soldiers would gather to play cards. They provided a much-needed sense of normalcy, promoted social interaction and offered some distraction from negative thoughts. Furthermore, they were simple to learn how to play, even if you didn’t speak the same language, and they were easy to carry – a deck of cards would fit in one pocket without having to sacrifice any piece of essential gear.

For the same reason, wartime decks have been used to pass information to troops behind enemy lines. During the Second World War, UK and US intelligence units joined forces to create a deck of cards that would help the Allies escape Nazi imprisonment, particularly from the Colditz Castle prisoner of war camp. Thanks to the Geneva Convention, it was possible for organisations like the Red Cross to deliver care packages to captured soldiers during Christmas.

What was in the cards for the imprisoned troops? Much more than premonitions about the future, the cards featured maps revealing escape routes. Each card had a thin piece of a map concealed between its two thicker outside layers. Using water, the two pieces would separate and reveal their true purpose.

According to the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., which holds some of these historical decks in its collection, these cards prompted more than 310 escape attempts and enabled at least 32 successful escapes from Colditz Castle.

Bringing people together

Playing cards have existed in one form or another for more than a thousand years. No matter how a deck of cards has been designed throughout history, or how many cards it contains, it almost always serves the same ultimate purpose: bringing people together to pass the time in friendly competition. And if they can learn something while they’re playing the game, all the better.

A deck of cards might not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think of military instructional tools. But the US Army’s NATO equipment deck will complement the more detailed, formal briefings that soldiers receive. And beyond its educational use, it will also provide an even greater value: helping troops get to know each other better, bond as a group, and live and work together more effectively both on and off the battlefield.

The leaders discussed strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defence, growing geostrategic competition, NATO’s continued support to Ukraine, and the situation in the Western Balkans.

The meeting marked the end of Mr Stoltenberg’s four day visit to the Western Balkans, where the Secretary General met with leaders from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, Serbia and North Macedonia. “In every stop, I made clear that stability in the Western Balkans depends on all sides choosing dialogue and diplomacy over conflict and chaos,” he said.  “This region is strategically important to NATO but there are reasons for concern,” said the Secretary General. 

He also stressed that ending secessionist rhetoric would boost stability and enable reforms in Bosnia-Herzegovina and he called for Belgrade and Pristina to reengage with the EU-facilitated dialogue. “The latest proposals for the establishment of the association of Serb-majority municipalities in Kosovo could be an important step forward,” he said, adding that, “it is time to overcome regional conflicts that have continued for far too long.”

On the first day, in Berlin, Admiral Bauer met with Minister Wolfgang Schmidt, Head of the Federal Chancelery and with State Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Defence, Benedikt Zimmer. During their exchange, the Chair commended Germany’s unquestionable commitment to the Alliance since 1955 and praised the German leadership for their current effort to transform the Bundeswehr. Germany’s new Defence Policy Guidelines, presented only a few weeks ago, demonstrate that the country is delivering on the Zeitenwende announced by Chancellor Scholz earlier this year – including through increased defence spending – noted the Admiral.

Admiral Bauer was subsequently received by General Carsten for a military honours welcome ceremony at the parade ground, after which he laid a wreath at the Bundeswehr Memorial. The Chair thanked General Breuer for Germany’s role in strengthening NATO’s defences and stressed its importance for the Alliance at this critical moment for security in Europe and beyond. “NATO is grateful for the fact that Germany is allocating more troops to NATO for the defence of Europe. This helps ensure the executability of our new geographically specific defence plans. Germany’s continued commitment to NATO ensures the protection and defence of the Euro-Atlantic area”, he stated. Germany’s first ever National Security Strategy, adopted in June, is a clear testament of Germany’s endeavour to become‘a cornerstone of conventional defence in Europe’ and to strengthen NATO’s European pillar.

Later in the day, Admiral Bauer and his staff, together with the hosting German delegation, departed for Hamburg. Upon arrival, the Admiral was welcomed at the Bundeswehr Command and Staff College – the highest level military training institution of the German Federal Armed Forces – by its Commandant, Rear Admiral Ralf Kuchler. At the Manfred Wörner Centre, the Chair delivered a keynote address to military and civilian students enrolled in the two-year National General/Admiral Staff Officer Course (NGASOC). Here he stressed the importance of a shift in mind-set, to make sure both the German military and the German society becomes ‘Kriegstüchtig’: “It is time to lift the mental blockade that somehow Germany should not be a leader in deterrence and defence. Preparing for war is not aggressive. It is the only way to maintain peace. For that we need strong deterrence.Deterrence is like oxygen: you don’t notice it until it’s gone.”

The visit concluded in Eckernförde with a visit to Sea Battalion 1, a land formation of the German Navy. Commander Patrick Steinbach received the NATO HQ delegation and his team provided an overview of how the battalion protects the German Navy’s vessels, bases and shore-based facilities in Germany and abroad, on the high seas and on the shore. They further illustrated the range of the Command’s capabilities – from ship examinations, explosive ordnance disposal, evacuation operations and the protection of merchant ships and ports against terrorist threats to multinational amphibious operations.

The Secretary General called on Belgrade and Pristina to engage constructively in the EU-facilitated dialogue, as this is the only path to a lasting peace and stability.   Mr Stoltenberg stressed the importance of NATO and Serbia’s partnership: “Serbia is an important regional actor and a long-standing partner of NATO. A good example of our cooperation is the joint work we have done over the past 10 years through NATO’s Science for Peace Programme, in different fields, including energy and environmental security, advanced technologies, and cyber-defence.” 

The Secretary General also highlighted the role of NATO’s KFOR peacekeeping mission: “For two decades, KFOR has ensured a safe and secure environment in Kosovo for all communities. We will continue to do so impartially, and in line with our UN mandate.  In May, our KFOR troops were attacked.  Ninety three of them were wounded, some suffered life changing injuries. In September, we saw another outbreak of serious violence in Kosovo, this is unacceptable. The facts must be established, the perpetrators must face justice. Therefore I welcome that Serbia is prepared to cooperate in these efforts.”

The Secretary General also discussed with Predident Vučić the possibility of resuming joint military exercises, and training for civil preparedness:  “We would welcome the possibility of resuming these kind of exercises in the future, and I look forward to further strengthening our cooperation.”  While in Belgrade, Mr Stoltenberg also met with Serbia’s Prime Minister Ana Brnabić and saw the latest examples of NATO-Serbia scientific cooperation.