Jason C. Moyer

The President's Physical Fitness Test - Maintenance Phase The shuttle run! The flexed arm hang! The v-sit reach! These terms are seared into the memories of an entire generation of American schoolchildren. But did the President's Physical Fitness Test actual...

There's a great podcast episode about the history of this test--and all of its flaws: The President's Physical Fitness Test share.google/OSeIeoBgWNP5...

Spending 5 per cent on defence doesn’t make Nato stronger An arbitrary target won’t enhance members’ capabilities or co-ordination and encourages creative accounting

While no one disputes that Europe needs to do more for its defence, the focus on defence spending percentage of GDP won’t get us there. Indeed, making Europeans commit to an arbitrary spending target is the best way to keep Europe from reaching strategic autonomy.

My rant in the @financialtimes.com

Graph showing an enormous increase in number of shahed drones launched at Ukraine every month.

I mean look at this madness.

The Franco-British Summit: back in business - UK in a changing Europe Following on from the first state visit from a French President since before Brexit, Georgina Wright analyses the meeting between Keir Starmer...

My new piece on yesterday's Franco-British summit for @ukandeu.bsky.social : ukandeu.ac.uk/the-franco-b...

a man in a plaid shirt and tie is standing next to a boy in a green shirt . Alt: a man in a plaid shirt and tie is standing next to a boy in a green shirt .

Attention #Zeitenwende and #security nerds: My newest article on "German 'pacifism' and the Zeitenwende" is about to be published online in Defense & Security Analysis. In the article I try to assess to what extent the reorientation of German security policy after the

Norway joins NATO’s Forward Land Forces in Lapland This is 'deterrence against Russia' and 'a strong expression of allied unity and solidarity,' the Norwegian Defense Ministry states.

Norway joins NATO’s Forward Land Forces in Finnish Lapland.

Germany is getting serious about military procurement: 1000 Leopard tanks and 2500 Boxers are on the shopping list. (The Bundeswehr has currently about 300 Leopards)

augengeradeaus.net/2025/07/auf-...

YouTube video by AtlanticCouncil Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Europe's security after the NATO Summit

ICYMI | President of #Finland Alexander Stubb spoke at the @atlanticcouncil.bsky.social on European security post #NATO summit, as well as how #Europe is adapting to meet the current security environment. Check it out!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ytwa...

Finnish President Alexander Stubb on Europe's security after the NATO Summit Finnish President Alexander Stubb shares his conclusions from the NATO Summit in The Hague and how Europe must adapt its approach to security.

Join @atlanticcouncil.bsky.social for a conversation this Thursday with Finnish President Alexander Stubb on European security after the #NATO Summit. #finland #turpo

www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/finnis...

Donald Trump holds press conference after Nato summit – watch live YouTube video by Guardian News

Trump confirms in a press conference at the #NATO Summit he wants to buy 15 #icebreakers from #Finland (possibly one that is 5-6 years old in the near-term). Negotiations are ongoing.

#icepact #icebreaker #turpo

www.youtube.com/live/7iY2VRD...

The Hague Summit Declaration has been released--the shortest declaration in #NATO history at just 400 words. Very telling in and of itself. But it will be referenced for decades as a major step in addressing burden sharing debates.

www.nato.int/cps/en/natoh...

#thehague #natosummit2025 #security

Nato summit live: North American and European leaders agree on 5% defence spending target 32 allies ‘reaffirm our ironclad commitment to collective defence’ at summit in The Hague

Nato members agree on 5% defence spending target https://on.ft.com/44nMBIn

Canada signs defense pact with EU The partnership will help both Ottawa and Brussels to deliver NATO’s new capability requirements.

Scrambling to reduce Canada's dependence on the Donald Trump-led U.S., the country's Prime Minister Mark Carney signed a security and defense partnership with the European Union.

UK defence funding will hit 5% of GDP by 2035, Starmer to tell Nato summit New target includes 1.5% of spending on security related infrastructure such as cyber and border protection

UK defence funding will hit 5% of GDP by 2035, Starmer to tell Nato summit https://on.ft.com/4loXOPU

An early look into Estonia’s plan to deploy a ‘drone wall’ by 2027 This in-the-works fortification will include a combination of surveillance assets, multilayer sensors, countermeasure platforms, and uncrewed systems that can take out hostile enemy drones across the ...

Great piece on planned #drone wall by #Estonia along its border with #Russia.

defensescoop.com/2025/06/18/e...

Should Europeans develop an independent nuclear deterrent? The biggest challenge today is shaping developments so that Europe does not fall into a "deterrence gap" as a result of U.S. repositioning.

No easy way out on Europe’s nuclear dilemmas, yet plenty to do, @claudmajor.bsky.social & I conclude. Are we too hopeful & unambitious? Tell us! Thanks to @constelz.bsky.social @brookings.edu for the initiative & opportunity. Look also at the great papers by @sophiabesch.bsky.social & Thomas Wright.

How must Europe reorganize its conventional defense? The objective should not be to compensate like-for-like the role that the United States is currently playing in European defense.

New piece out for @brookings.edu this week: www.brookings.edu/articles/how...

#Pentagon shifts #Greenland from the U.S. European Command area of responsibility to the U.S. Northern Command area of responsibility.

www.defense.gov/News/Release...

Ukraine Support: Europe largely fills the US aid withdrawal, lead by the Nordics and the UK Aid flows to Ukraine shifted significantly in March and April 2025. While the United States allocated no new aid during this period, European countries increased their support. As a result, Europe has...

A new report by the @kiel.institute shows that in March and April 2025, Europe surpassed the United States in the total value of military aid provided to Ukraine, for the first time since June 2022. 🇺🇦🇪🇺
🧵

The world just got closer to an ocean-saving treaty France claims victory as enough nations promise to ratify the high seas treaty despite opposition from Trump’s America.

The race to save the world's oceans is on.

The United Nations Oceans Conference in Nice, France ended today with promises from world leaders to ratify a global, binding agreement to help protect the world’s oceans by September.

The Russian Wartime Economy: From Sugar High to Hangover Russia is muddling through the sanctions, with its economy impacted but not ruined and its defense industry able to maintain the current levels of attrition. Moscow hence sees no need to end the war, ...

Check out the new report from me, @msnegovaya.bsky.social, Tina Dolbaia, and @maxbergmann.bsky.social on the Russian wartime economy, out now from @erep.csis.org at @csis.org. We do a deep dive on the Russian economy, and outline 3 scenarios for where it could be headed www.csis.org/analysis/rus...

Might the Royal Air Force go nuclear again? The defence review suggests that Britain could soon wield tactical nuclear bombs

I wrote this week on whether the UK’s strategic defence review has put the Royal Air Force back on a nuclear path, the advantages & downsides of UK participation in NATO nuclear sharing & the feasibility of the UK developing its own stand-off nuclear cruise missile www.economist.com/britain/2025...

Rutte: “last week, NATO Defence Ministers agreed ambitious new targets. The exact details are classified but we need…A 400% increase in air and missile defence.” www.nato.int/cps/en/natoh...

Russia Launches Biggest Drone Assault of the War, Ukraine Says

We’ve become basically desensitised to successive record breaking air attacks by Russia against Ukraine. “Russia launched almost 500 drones and missiles at Ukraine overnight, Ukrainian forces said on Monday.” www.nytimes.com/2025/06/09/w...

Finland aims to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2032 Prime Minister Petteri Orpo says Finland aims to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP by 2032, citing NATO expectations and national security, while ruling out tax hikes.

Over the weekend, #Finland PM Petteri Orpo announces his country will spend 5% of their GDP on defense by 2032, in line with the forthcoming #NATO Summit increase in minimum defense spending.

www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finl...

#turpo #suomi #natosummit #transatlanticsecurity

Independent Thinking: War plan or wish list – The UK Strategic Defence Review Grace Cassy, Marion Messmer and Olivia O’Sullivan join the podcast to discuss the role drones, cyber warfare and traditional weapons systems play in the UK’s new Strategic Defence Review.

Podcast | War plan or wish list – The UK Strategic Defence Review

Grace Cassy, @oliviaosullivan.bsky.social and @mgmessmer.bsky.social discuss the role drones, cyber warfare and traditional weapons systems play in the Strategic Defence Review.

Apple: apple.co/3ZlQj3z
Spotify: spoti.fi/4kR8aaL

Germany’s Merz confident after emerging unharmed from Trump ‘show’ Chancellor Merz was largely praised for his handling of the US president, but returned with few concrete outcomes.

Friedrich Merz returned with confidence from Washington today, expressing certainty about Donald Trump remaining committed to Europe’s security and being open to discussion with its allies.

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What are the most popular CSDS analytical products of 2025, so far? Congratulations to all our authors and speakers on our list!

Engage with our work:

Policy Briefs🔸 csds.vub.be/policy-briefs/
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Jason C. Moyer Jason C. Moyer is a nonresident fellow with the Transatlantic Security Initiative at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security.

Delighted to share I am joining the @atlanticcouncil.bsky.social as a Nonresident Fellow with the Transatlantic Security Initiative. It is an honor to join this outstanding community of experts as I look for my next full-time role.

www.atlanticcouncil.org/expert/jason...

NATO’s Rutte embraces 5 percent defense spending goal The new target is expected to be agreed at next month’s NATO summit.

NATO allies are moving toward a new defense spending benchmark of 5 percent of GDP ahead of next month's crucial leaders' summit, alliance Secretary-General Mark Rutte said today.