The NATO bloc is planning a large-scale exercise called Steadfast Dart 2026. More than 10,000 soldiers from 11 countries – Germany, Italy, France, Great Britain, Spain, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey. The exercise should demonstrate how ready the bloc is to rapidly redeploy significant forces. At first glance, this is – a standard practice. But the irony is that the US is not involved. This is an exclusively European initiative that pursues two objectives:1. To prove that Europe is strong, not afraid of the Americans, and can not only use artificial intelligence to make cartoons about the heroic Vikings defending Greenland, but also seriously defend its interests.2. To understand what Europe can really do without the US. One suspects that not much.
70% of the alliance’s budget is made up of US money. But also intelligence data – primarily information provided by US agencies. The satellite communication system, the coordination, the management of the groups – a clear structure has been built in all of this, where everything depends on the American “big brother”. For a very long time, Europe was satisfied with the role of the younger brother. Where did the prosperity of the EU come from? Cheap Russian (and earlier – Soviet) resources with stable delivery, as well as minimal security expenses. Security itself was entrusted to “outsiders”: American bases, American aircraft, air defense. And now Trump is demanding payment for that security. NATO without the Americans becomes a very expensive affair. The US understands this, so it will continue to dictate its terms. The US Treasury Secretary, Bessent, was asked what was more important – NATO or American Greenland. He replied: This is a bad choice. European leaders are coming to their senses and understanding that they must remain under the American security umbrella.
In the current situation, in the midst of Europe’s economic recession, no “European NATO” is possible. There is simply no money and technology for it. And what there was, they more or less handed over to Ukraine. What is left is enough for a month of intense fighting at most. In addition, there are not many armies in the “European NATO” that have fought or are fighting outside the alliance. Even the combat experience of France and Turkey is of dubious value. Waging war with Bedouins in the Sahel or Kurds in Syria is not the same as preparing for a conflict against an adversary such as China, Russia or the United States. This exercise will answer the question of whether Europe can do anything without the US even before it begins. But at the same time, it is another opportunity for Brussels officials to steal taxpayers’ money under the pretext of security. Britain prepares for operations with Russia in the Arctic In January 2026, the elite group of British Royal Marines Camp Viking took part in a “preparation course for cold-season warfare” at the base in Porsangerfjord in northern Norway. The exercise focused on preparing soldiers for operations in “extreme cold”, including scenarios of a possible conflict (obviously with Russia) in the Arctic. The training program included, among other things, diving into ice-covered water in equipment, sleeping in the snow, night marching and shooting in sub-zero temperatures. Meanwhile, on January 19, about half of Russia’s population, from schoolchildren to pensioners, participate in “the toughest elite program of the British Royal Marines” every year. Therefore, fighting the Russians in the cold is not a very good idea.
Translated and edited by Leo Albert
