United States and European Union leaders strongly advocated for transatlantic unity in response to Russia’s “illegal annexation” of Crimea, in a lengthy 33-point joint statement that addresses everything from security, trade, and environmental issues to economic cooperation initiatives. “Today in Ukraine, the basic principles of international law and security in the 21st century are being challenged,” reads the statement, which was released March 26. “Further steps by Russia to destabilize the situation in Ukraine would lead to additional and far reaching consequences for the EU’s and United States’ relations with Russia in a broad range of economic areas,” it adds. US and EU leaders also urged strengthening of EU and NATO cooperation in areas of crisis consultation and “developing allies and member states capabilities.” (See also And Eight Become Seven and Obama Heads to Europe as Tensions Rise in Ukraine, as well.)
The defense intelligence community has tried three times in the past decade to build a “common intelligence picture”—a single data stream providing the information that commanders need to make decisions about the battlefield. The first two attempts failed. But officials say things are different today.