The U.S. and Global Security Review - Blog by Michael Novakhov

Ukraine Liveblog Day 191: Fighting In Ilovaisk, Amvrosievka and Novoazovsk  -  August 27, 2014 Ukraine crisis forces European defence spending rethink Wednesday August 27 th , 2014  at  10:09 AM 1 Share * U.S. seizes opportunity to push allies to spend more *  Ukraine  crisis is reality check for NATO members * Defence spending pledge expected at NATO summit By  Adrian Croft BRUSSELS, Aug 27 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin's actions in Crimea and eastern Ukraine  may achieve what successive U.S. defence secretaries have failed to do -- persuade European NATO members to spend more on their armed forces. The Ukraine crisis has been a reality check for NATO countries that believed they no longer faced a pressing military threat following the collapse of the Soviet Union. After years of sharp defence cuts, partly forced on them by the financial crisis, there are signs that some NATO countries, particularly in central and ea