August 23, 2017
Why Europe Needs a ‘Military Schengen Zone’
While President Donald Trump was issuing bombastic threats toward North Korea and Venezuela earlier this month, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis quietly met with his Dutch counterpart, Defense Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, at the Pentagon on Aug. 15. They discussed the ongoing crises in North Korea and Venezuela and continued their talks on NATO defense spending. But, to the surprise of many, they also touched on a more esoteric topic: the idea of introducing a “military Schengen zone” on the European continent, freeing up the movement of troops and materiel between EU member states.
Under current laws, the movement of military forces throughout Europe must follow strict rules that create limits on what militaries can do during exercises. Critics of creating a new military Schengen zone say it is somewhat pointless, as changes have already been made to allow for soldiers and supplies to move quickly between countries during the event of a conflict. The problem is that credibility, interoperability and readiness are only achieved through exercises and training during peacetime. Read the full article in World Politics Review.
More from CNAS
-
European Integration’s New Geopolitical Momentum
Commentary
Offering more tangible benefits of accession prior to full membership will both keep candidate countries motivated to continue reforms and allow for a more gradual adjustment ...
By Nicholas Lokker
-
The Outlook for Ukraine in 2023
Podcast
In the latest installment of our “New Year” series, we take stock of where things stand in Ukraine as we head into 2023. Over the past couple of months, the lines of territori...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, Michael Kofman & Lawrence D. Freedman
-
Germany Agrees to Send Leopard Tanks to Ukraine
Podcast
Adjunct Senior Fellow Jeffrey Edmonds joins Here & Now's Peter O'Dowd to discuss Germany's decision to send Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Listen to the full interview from WBUR....
By Jeffrey Edmonds
-
Jim Townsend on Ukraine Russia Conflict & Military Aid from NATO via Tanks
Podcast
Russia’s spring offensive could come out of Belarus, explains Jim Townsend, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense for Europe and NATO. Listen to the interview and more from...
By Jim Townsend
