NATO hit by corruption scandal
Police have conducted arrests and searches in several countries as part of a corruption investigation involving current and former employees of the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA).
The raids, coordinated by Eurojust – the EU's criminal justice agency – took place in Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and the US. The alliance told Luxembourg Times on Wednesday that NSPA's main headquarters in the Grand Duchy had initiated the probe.
'NATO – including the NSPA – is working closely with law enforcement to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice,' spokeswoman Allison Hart said. 'We are actively strengthening our ability to mitigate risks and root out misconduct,' she added.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte told reporters in Ankara on Thursday that the military bloc was working with the authorities. 'We want to get to the root of this,' Rutte said.
The public prosecutor's office in Luxembourg said that documents were seized pertaining to suspicions that NSPA staffers had 'used their positions to enrich themselves.'
Two people were arrested in Belgium, and three in the Netherlands, officials said. Belgian prosecutors stated that the investigation centers around 'possible irregularities in awarding contracts to defence contractors for the purchase of military equipment for NATO such as ammunition and drones.' The probe also looks at possible sharing of confidential information by NSPA employees with defense companies and money laundering.
The Dutch authorities said they arrested a former official with the Dutch Defense Ministry at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol on Monday. The former civil servant is suspected of taking bribes in 2023 regarding the awarding of defense contracts.
The investigation takes place as NATO members are looking for ways to boost their own defense and produce more weapons to be delivered to Ukraine. In March, the European Commission unveiled a plan to raise €800 billion ($896 billion) to 'rearm' the EU.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Russia Today
11 hours ago
- Russia Today
NATO chief tells Brits to boost defense spending or learn Russian
British people will have to learn to speak Russian if the UK fails to implement Prime Minister Keir Starmer's plan to drastically boost defense spending, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said. Moscow has dismissed claims that it plans to invade NATO countries as fearmongering by Western politicians. Last week, Starmer unveiled his cabinet's Strategic Defense Review, promising to invest billions more in weapons factories, drones, and submarines to make Britain 'a battle-ready, armor-clad nation with the strongest alliances and the most advanced capabilities.' London's policy will 'always be NATO first,' he said. However, the prime minister declined to set a deadline for the UK to reach its goal of increasing defense spending to 3% of GDP. Speaking at Chatham House in London on Monday, Rutte said he was 'really impressed' by Starmer's plans. Asked if the UK should increase taxes even further in order to fund the rearmament program, he replied: 'it is not up to me.' 'I mean, what I know is that if we want to keep our societies safe... look, if you do not do this, if you would not go to the 5%, including the 3.5% core defense spending, you could still have the National Health Service, or in other countries their health systems, the pension system, etc., but you had better learn to speak Russian,' he said. Rutte reiterated his claim that Russia could be ready to target NATO countries within the next five years. 'The new generation of Russian missiles travel at many times the speed of sound. The distance between European capitals is only a matter of minutes. There is no longer east or west. There is just NATO,' he said. Russian President Vladimir Putin has rejected allegations that Moscow harbors any aggressive intentions toward NATO countries, calling them 'nonsense' designed to alarm the public and legitimize major hikes in defense spending. Moscow has been increasingly critical of Britain's involvement in the Ukraine conflict. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that the UK is '100%' helping Kiev to conduct terrorist attacks inside Russian territory.
Russia Today
a day ago
- Russia Today
Zelensky knows he's losing
Ukraine's Vladimir Zelensky is well aware that he cannot win the conflict against Russia on his own and is trying to drag NATO into it, Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, has said. Such developments could plunge the world into a new world war, he warned. Tuberville made his statements on John Catsimatidis's radio show 'Cats Roundtable' on WABC 770 AM on Sunday. According to the senator, the conflict between Moscow and Kiev is on the verge of spilling over to other nations and potentially involving the American military. There is 'no doubt' Zelensky is trying to lure NATO into the conflict, Tuberville said, adding that the Ukrainian leader understands 'he can't win this war on his own' and 'knows he is losing.' The senator also branded Zelensky a 'dictator,' who had 'created all the problems' and did not want to hold elections in Ukraine. 'He knew if he had an election, he would [have been] voted out,' the senator said. Instead, Zelensky is looking for ways to escalate the conflict, Tuberville believes. The senator particularly expressed concerns about Ukraine's recent attack on Russian military airfields. Ukrainian drones struck several Russian airbases in various parts of the country in late May. Ukrainian media claimed the strikes damaged or destroyed approximately 40 Russian military aircraft. Moscow stated that no planes were destroyed in the attacks. According to Tuberville, Zelensky 'just called his hand' with this attack and disrupted what 'was supposed to have been a peace day.' The senator was referring to a second round of negotiations between the Russian and Ukrainian delegations, which took place in Istanbul. Kiev's attacks took place just a day before the talks. The world does not need such an escalation, Tuberville stated, adding that Russia and Ukraine, as well as the US and the EU need to 'pull together to get this thing over with.' Otherwise, 'it will be a disaster like… World War II,' he warned. US President Donald Trump has also said he 'didn't like' Kiev's strikes on Russia's airfields, and that Ukraine gave Moscow a reason to 'bomb the hell out of them.' Russia has repeatedly condemned Ukraine's continued drone strikes and acts of sabotage on Russian territory, claiming it undermines efforts to find a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.
Russia Today
2 days ago
- Russia Today
Western Europe blocks peace in Ukraine
NATO-aligned European countries are obstructing peace efforts in Ukraine, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov has said. Several EU member states are deliberately undermining negotiations and prolonging the conflict, he told TASS in an interview published this week. In May, under pressure from US President Donald Trump, Kiev agreed to direct talks with Russia, a step Moscow called logical and overdue. It marked the first such negotiations in three years and involved senior officials. Both sides pledged to stay in contact, completed a 1,000-for-1,000 prisoner swap, and exchanged ceasefire proposals. EU and NATO leaders, however, were 'relentlessly encouraging Kiev to continue hostilities,' Ryabkov said, citing a steady flow of weapons, military equipment, and pledges of continued support. He added that acts of sabotage and provocation were being planned and carried out, along with disinformation efforts aimed at disrupting the negotiation process. Last week, Kiev launched a coordinated drone strike on multiple Russian air bases and blew up railway bridges, causing the derailment of both civilian and freight trains. At least seven people were killed and more than 120 injured, including children. Russian authorities labeled the strikes 'terrorism' and accused Ukraine of trying to derail US-backed peace efforts. Some military analysts suggested that such attacks would not have been possible without Western intelligence support. Ryabkov also accused certain EU leaders of meddling in US domestic politics by pressuring Trump to adopt former President Joe Biden's more aggressive pro-Ukraine stance. As an example, Ryabkov cited German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who met with Trump in Washington earlier this week. Merz urged the US to intensify its involvement and increase pressure on Russia. He had earlier lifted restrictions on German-supplied weapons to Ukraine, a move Ryabkov said contradicted efforts toward a political settlement. Ryabkov's remarks were echoed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who accused Brussels of fully aligning with Kiev's military aims and called the EU a 'war party.' 'The main signals from Brussels and European capitals now relate to... plans for the militarization of Europe, which is clearly at odds with the mood of the presidents of Russia and the United States,' Peskov added. According to Germany's Kiel Institute, the EU has provided nearly €50 billion in support to Ukraine since the beginning of the full-scale conflict in 2022, in addition to significant bilateral aid from member states.
