South Koreans watch a television broadcast reporting the North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin (Getty Images)
BELFAST — The war in Ukraine surpassed the 1,000 day mark earlier this year and continues on with slow Russian advances amid growing uncertainty in Europe that a new US administration under Donald Trump could end desperately needed military aid to Kyiv or result in a peace deal of greater, long-term strategic value to Moscow.
Of all that happened during the conflict in the last 12 months, the deployment of North Korean troops to the Russian border territory of Kursk stands out from the pack. The move itself was officially confirmed by Mark Rutte, NATO Secretary General in October, after he held a North Atlantic Council meeting with South Korea’s National Intelligence Service and its Ministry of National Defense.
It will be of no surprise to readers then that events from, or linked to, the war dominate our picks for the top European stories from 2024.
[This article is one of many in a series in which Breaking Defense reporters look back on the most significant (and entertaining) news stories of 2024 and look forward to what 2025 may hold.]
1. ‘Growing desperation’? NATO chief confirms North Korean troops deployed to help Russia in Kursk
Rutte defined the deployment as a “significant escalation” of DPRK’s continued involvement in Russia’s “illegal war” against Ukraine, while labelling it as a further “breach” of UN Security Council resolutions. Soon after, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh, echoed NATO’s appraisal, as she shared that an estimated 10,000 North Korean troops had been sent to “train in eastern Russia [and] will probably augment Russian forces near Ukraine over the next several weeks.”
2. Sweden officially joins NATO as 32nd alliance member
Forced to wait longer than Nordic counterpart Finland, Sweden finally joined NATO in March. Former NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg took to social media to mark the occasion. “It’s official – #Sweden is now the 32nd member of #NATO, taking its rightful place at our table,” he shared. “Sweden’s accession makes NATO stronger, Sweden safer, and the whole Alliance more secure.”
The addition of Sweden notably increases alliance capabilities across the High North and Baltic Sea, while serving as a counterweight to Russian threats in the two strategically pivotal regions. Stockholm boasts formidable air, land and sea prowess shaped by multirole Gripen fighter jets and Gotland-class diesel-electric attack submarines.
3. Why Germany’s Scholz won’t follow Biden on long-range strikes for Ukraine
After months of resistance, the US ended its opposition to Ukraine firing Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) surface-to-surface artillery weapons inside Russia for the first time in November. The UK soon followed suit, overturning a hold on Storm Shadow long-range cruise missiles. France, which refers to the weapon as SCALP, has also supplied a number of units to Kyiv. Similar to the lift on long range strikes by the US and UK, French President Emmanuel Macron said, “there’s no red line on this.”
Germany, on the other hand, stood out from the crowd, refusing to change course. Analysts that spoke with Breaking Defense about the matter said that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz was potentially holding out on the supply of Taurus long-range precision missiles in a bid to protect his political career and argued that he has limited clout over Russia.
4. French defense minister attacks industry over production rates, threatens requisitioning
In March, France’s Minister for the armed forces Sébastien Lecornu aired concerns around national weapons productions rates by threatening industry with the requisitioning of “personnel, stocks or production tools” if things don’t improve. And he didn’t stop there. Prime manufacturers were not the only group in Lecornu’s line of fire. Subcontractors could also be forced to prioritize defense customers over civilian clients if they didn’t rise to the challenge, he explained. In light of demand spiking to boost weapon supplies to Ukraine, KNDS told Breaking Defense that production of 155mm artillery shells had doubled, reaching an annual rate of 60,000 units in 2024, with a target of reaching 120,000 in 2025.
5. KNDS debuts Enhanced Main Battle Tank technology demonstrator
On the equipment front, European defense firm KNDS unveiled a new Enhanced Main Battle Tank (EMBT) technology demonstrator at Eurosatory in France. The vehicle offers a glimpse into the manufacturer’s thinking for the Franco-German Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) program, which effectively amounts to development of the continent’s next generation main battle tank. As freelance writer Andrew White wrote of the EMBT, it includes an upgraded Leopard chassis with shortened engine to increase space inside the vehicle’s compartment; a new uncrewed turret, fitted with a 140mm Ascalon gun, ARX30 30mm x 113mm remote controlled weapon station; and the French Ministry of Defense’s Prometheus active protection system.
