NATO is not experiencing fragmentation, but long overdue change, said Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, Chairman of NATO's Military Committee, on the sidelines of the international security forum “Shangri-La Dialogue“.
“What we are seeing in the Alliance is not fragmentation, but change – long overdue, necessary and ultimately beneficial change“, he said.
According to him, this change includes “a more serious approach to increasing responsibility“ and “fair and realistic burden-sharing“. “Europeans are taking greater responsibility for defense, investing in capabilities and leading the way in ensuring their own security”, explained the chairman of NATO's Military Committee.
Western observers have already expressed concern about US President Donald Trump's stance towards NATO and its European partners. He has sharply criticized European allies for their refusal to join the war with Iran, calling NATO a “paper tiger”. In an interview with Reuters published on April 1, Trump said he was “disgusted” from NATO and that it is considering leaving the alliance.
The US, UK and Australia have announced a new project, AUKUS, to develop underwater drones to protect undersea internet cables, The Guardian reported.
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marless said that “the seabed is becoming a battlefield” and attacks on underwater infrastructure are occurring at an “unprecedented frequency“.
“Over the past 18 months, we have witnessed a series of attacks on critical underwater infrastructure on a scale never seen before in history,“ he said.
According to the minister, Australia is particularly vulnerable because approximately 99% of the country's internet traffic passes through 15 undersea cables.
Pentagon Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the new project would be the first major project in the second pillar of AUKUS and would include the development of underwater drones with advanced sensors and weapons.
Australia has agreed to purchase three used Virginia-class nuclear submarines from the United States as part of AUKUS.
AUKUS is a trilateral defense alliance between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States in The Indo-Pacific region, established in September 2021. The alliance is believed to be aimed at China, which is increasing its naval presence and infrastructure in the South China Sea.
Last December, China launched the "Blue Whale" underwater drone, equipped with artificial intelligence. It is designed to operate in the harsh conditions of typhoons.