The Alliance say that international cooperation among Allies continues as normal as medical supplies and equipment are shared via several strategic airlift aircraft.
NATO say that a cargo aircraft carrying several tons of urgent medical supplies from China, including vital respirators and facemasks, landed at Pardubice airport in the Czech Republic on the evening of March the 30th to help combat the coronavirus.
“This was the third such transport flight to the Czech Republic in March under the NATO-supported Strategic Airlift International Solution – or SALIS – which provides NATO countries participating in the programme with access to transport aircraft. The Czech Government had tasked the mission. As on previous flights, special procedures were in place to ensure the safety of the aircrew, with no direct contact with ground crews allowed.”
On April the 1st, a Turkish Air Force A-400M cargo plane carrying medical supplies donated by Turkey reached Spain and Italy as part of Allied efforts to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The aircraft landed first at Torrejón Air Base for further distribution of the supplies by the Spanish authorities. A further delivery of medical supplies from Turkey reached Pratica di Mare Air Base in Italy later that day. The medical supplies donated by Turkey to Spain and Italy consist of personal protection equipment and disinfectants, including 450,000 masks.”
They were sent in crates displaying – in Italian, Spanish and Turkish – the words of 13th century poet Jalaluddin Rumi: “There is hope after despair and many suns after darkness.”
This Pandemic is bringing the best out of most people and it seems the best out of most nations… This is a serious example of how Allies rally round when needed, even when they have differences.
It is the same spirit that sees RFA Argus sailing to the Caribbean to support British Overseas Territories at this time.
Well Done to all those in frontline roles… and Thank You. Regardless of where you come from..!
Well said.
Then you have turkey withholding supplies for Spain, brings out the best in most and the true colours of some.
Unless you are America. They will screw over any ally to secure their supply. They have hijacked supplies bound for Canada France and Germany, threatened us companies overseas to divert supplies from those countries and threatened countries with serious consequences if they try do the same. America first is everybody else last.
Boris asked Trump for ventilators, did we get any? I’d be amazed if we did, it’s going to be China bailing both of us out.
Hi Andy,
America has a history / reputation of being a pretty generous country when the chips are down. Trump’s America First policy is undermining that reputation and many Allies are / will begin to question America’s leadership role. For Western democracies this is a serious moment in history. China is stepping up to fill the gaps being left by America.
As I have said more than once, China is very good at playing the long game, Western Democracies have a much shorter decision horizon.
So despite the fact that Chinese government incompetence led to this situation in the first place (they should have learnt from SAR’s and shut down the ‘illegal’ animal trade, for example) they are hoping that by sending experienced medics and supplies to other countries they can come out with lots of gold stars… Trouble is we in the West still remember the Black Death, so we ain’t likely to forget their role in this pandemic / shock to the system anytime soon… I hope.
Cheers CR
Well this will see an end to nato. With trump converscating masks bound for Americas European allies, while Russia flies in supplies to Italy. Frankly as a long term supporter of Nato and short time supporter of trump, I’m amazed at how quickly one man has destroyed a decades old alliance. Although I’m glad hes shown his true colours during a pandemic and not a war. Hopefully this will see an end to China’s rain, and perhaps regretfully the dominance of America.
well said.
Russia is milking as much as it can with sending aid to other nations while covering up its own virus numbers ,its Putin playing the game again and wrong footing Trump who is as usual is oblivious to it or just more concerned with that tape of him and some Russian hookers in Moscow .I do not think at all its the end of NATO or the US and defiantly not the end of China.
China will certainly have to answer some questions after this and a general public dissent towards Chinese made goods will certainly rise across the world.
Why they did not close it’s air space 4 months ago to passengers but has now closed it is a joke, more than happy to spread this around the world but now just want to sell everyone supplies, situation stinks.
Worst still they continue to allow the use of wet markets. Hopefully the WHO and UN will come down on them like a ton of bricks and force their closures. China’s economy is dependent on foreign trade. Dropping sanctions on them could cripple them over night.
Because decisions are taken at moments in time with the available information at hand, not in hindsight. I think this ‘China has something to answer for’ narrative which until recently was being driven by trump to defect attention from his own administrations failings.
Generally I would agree with you. But given the recent exposure that China not only lied during the initial outbreak, but worst still that they continue to allow the wet markets to continue. I thin this means they have somethings to answer for.
Russia certainly is taking full advantage of the situation. Would have made some powerful soft power had nato allies come not only to the aid of Italy and Spain but also external nations including Iran.
Sure I saw a few western countries sending supplies to Iran, UK being one of them?
If this is true then it is a good start.
He just needs to secure one EU country to not vote to extend EU sanctions over Ukraine and they automatically expire. Let’s see how Italy votes on the matter on the 31st July.
Yes better now than during a war that we involved in, but we only have to ask the Kurds what he does to allies he is in an actual war with.