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
-
The 2022 Madrid NATO Summit, with Ivo Daalder and Doug Lute
Podcast
What are the most important takeaways from this week’s NATO summit in Madrid? Ivo Daalder and Doug Lute join Andrea Kendall-Taylor and Jim Townsend to discuss how the alliance...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, Ivo Daalder & Amb. Doug Lute
-
NATO sees Russia as a ‘direct threat,’ but not China, says think tank
Video
Jim Townsend of the CNAS Transatlantic Security Program, who served as deputy assistant secretary of defense for Europe and NATO under the Obama administration, says Europe’s ...
By Jim Townsend
-
The Real Key to Victory in Ukraine
Commentary
This emerging war of attrition is more likely to come down to “sustainment”—the ability of each side to ensure a relentless influx of troops, ammunition, and heavy equipment t...
By Margarita "Rita" Konaev
-
Brussels Sprouts Live: Setting the Stage for Madrid
Podcast
Over the past several months, the NATO alliance has faced a tremendous challenge in responding to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. While allied cohesion has been consistently ...
By Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Jim Townsend, Julianne Smith, Steven Erlanger & David E. Sanger
