How can bullying and abuse of servicewomen be stopped?
The head of the Army has spoken of his “anger and shame” after more than a thousand women shared stories of harassment, bullying and much worse while they served their country.Another set of changes have been announced to try to stop unacceptable behaviours, including a tri-service unit to take over the most serious complaints from the chain of command. But is it enough?Sitrep explains the detail of the changes and talks to two veterans, who are also leading advocates for women in the forces.Former Conservative MP Sarah Atherton and Commodore Steve Prest share their own experiences to assess the scale and causes of unacceptable behaviours, and how culture can be changed to prevent bullying, harassment and discrimination.
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What would a Ukraine ceasefire look like on the battlefield?
Sitrep assesses how the 30-day ceasefire, offered by Ukraine, could work in reality. Would troops just stay in place and dig in, or might they have to pull back from a buffer zone?It is a tactical trade-off by Kyiv which gives it back US military aid and intelligence, and forces Russia onto the diplomatic back foot.Professor Michael Clarke explains which side has most to gain from a pause to rest and re-equip while former head of the Army, General Lord Dannatt, shares lessons from Bosnia suggesting even the most junior soldiers will have to fully understand the terms of any deal.Kate and Mike also talk to former UK National Security Adviser Lord Peter Ricketts to assess the UK’s role in getting to this point, and the possibility of British troops being part of any longer-term peace plan.
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EXTRA – Should the US still hold NATO’s top military job?
The highest command in the world’s most powerful military alliance has always been held by a top American officer, almost always with a British deputy.But as the Trump administration tells Europe the US will do less, and we’ve got to do much more for our own defence, should the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) become a European job?Kate Gerbeau talks to General Philip Breedlove, who was SACEUR from 2013-2016, about what the role involves, how much influence it wields, and how much difference the change could make.He also reveals how during Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine (2014) he used his other role, as a US commander, to deliver action that had been resisted from within the alliance.
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Can Ukraine still adapt and survive?
Whatever you think of how President Trump said it to President Zelensky, the fact is Ukraine is not in good position. That was made worse by the freezing of US military aid, and crucial moment-by-moment intelligence.Sitrep explains how that has left Ukraine “blindfolded with one hand tied behind its back” and assesses its options to stay in the fight or even strengthen its position for any talks.Former UK military attaché to Ukraine John Foreman tells us the country’s ground capability still remains a key point of leverage, and Sitrep’s Simon Newton details how and when the sudden stop to US hardware flows will bite.
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Billions more for the Armed Forces… but spend it wisely
We now have a deadline for the UK to spend 2.5% of national income on defence and it’s much sooner than anyone expected. But cash doesn’t just turn into military might.There are many things you could spend it on. People? Hardware? Training? The real question is what you should spend it on, for the right capabilities at the right times.There are urgent priorities to rapidly improve defence of our own doorstep as the US pulls back, but we still need to plan for long term battle-winning edge.Professor Michael Clarke explains why ‘invisible’ capabilities will be favoured over heavy metal, while Matthew Savill from RUSI assesses how hard it will be to deliver the Defence Secretary’s priority of “arresting the long-term fall in numbers of service personnel”.
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