The journalist Ángel ExpósitoThe programme's news programme La Linterna de la cadena COPE, previewed in last night's broadcast from Kiev (Ukraine) some key ideas of the Defence Observatory PROA Communication which takes place this Thursday at our headquarters in Madrid.
Expósito interviewed one of the speakers, Admiral (R) Juan Rodríguez GaratHe will analyse the current geopolitical situation and the situation of the defence industry together with the President of the European Defence Agency (EDA). Spanish Atlantic Association, Mr Adolfo Menéndezthe director general of the Spanish Association of Defence Technology Companies (TEDAE), Don César Ramos; y Lucía Casanuevamanaging partner of PROA Communicationwho will moderate the round table.
Admiral Garat, asked about the rebellion of Yevgeni Prigozhin's Wagner Group, stated that "mercenaries would rather face their own master than a much more powerful enemy", and warned that "Prigozhin's ultimate goal was to succeed Putin in the Kremlin".after the dismissal of senior Russian military commanders.
"What triggered the coup is Putin's order that on 1 July all Wagner mercenaries would have to sign a contract with the Ministry of Defence, and it is already known that mercenaries obey who pays them"This deprived Prigozhin of his main tool for coming to power.
The attempted coup d'état and its consequences will be one of the central themes of the Observatory's analysis. How does this failed uprising fit into the global picture? Is a new world order being debated with this bloody war? Not to mention the nuclear threat that Putin always wants to hang over the heads of Europe and the rest of the world. Also, we will analyse the role of the Atlantic Alliance in this war. and what membership of the Alliance brings to Spain.
Defence budgets worldwide have increased by 25 per cent.. This represents an opportunity for the defence industry. What challenges the sector is facing and what are the main characteristics of the environment in which the industry's activity is developing, will be questions that the participating experts will unveil in this meeting.
Listen to the interview with Admiral Garat on COPE from minute 11:50 onwards.