Ukrainian drone pilots turn a military exercise in Sweden into a critical warning for NATO

GOTLAND, Sweden, May 13 ------ The war game scenario was this: One of NATO’s newest members, Sweden, was under threat by an unnamed country that was building up troops along the military alliance’s eastern border. And in an unusual twist, non-NATO member Ukraine was there to advise on drone warfare — and delivered a critical warning to the alliance.

The Associated Press was allowed to witness the Swedish-led military exercise this week as Europe faces not only the threat of Russia but the wavering of NATO’s most powerful member, the United States.

The war game that also involved US forces played out with a real threat in mind. For months, Russia has ramped up sabotage, including cyberattacks against critical infrastructure and disinformation against countries across Europe, as detailed by an AP investigation.

The war game scenario — with the Swedish island of Gotland in theory facing power outages and food shortages because of sabotage — tested what NATO members might do before NATO’s collective defense clause, Article 5, has been invoked. “In theory, it could happen tomorrow,” said Rear Adm. Jonas Wikström, director of the exercise.

Europe considers Trump's volatile approach to NATO

Sweden’s chief of defense, Gen. Michael Claesson, noted that the U.S. is Europe’s most militarily capable ally so “any change in the American presence” affects the overall dynamics. He told the AP that announcements by US President Donald Trump of troop reductions in Europe are interpreted “as the Americans are leaving — and they are not.” Europe’s military leaders, however, are watching closely how Trump and his administration treat NATO, which Trump has described as a “paper tiger.” Most recently, he has ordered the withdrawal of at least 5,000 US troops from Germany and threatens to remove more.

Trump also has criticized allies and NATO for not coming to the aid of the US in the Iran war, while U.S. air defense systems and missiles have been moved toward the Middle East from Europe, raising concerns about gaps in protection. Some European nations have been told they will face delays in their orders of US weapons.

Claesson denied that recent announcements — including plans for a “hybrid navy” between a group of Nordic and Baltic nations, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands, as announced by Gen. Sir Gwyn Jenkins, the UK's First Sea Lord — were a hedge against a possible future where the US does not come to the aid of NATO allies. But, he said, “everything that offers European allies freedom of action is good.” The UK and Norway also aim to build a combined frigate fleet, said Marte Gerhardsen, state secretary at the Norwegian Ministry of Defense.

Source: manilatimes.net