It happened almost on the same day. Italy’s lockdown. People confined to their homes across the European Union. Influx of 30,000 US troops in preparation of the “Defend Europe 2020” war games against Russia in the largest display of military might since the Cold War. Across Europe, no sports events, no anti-war protest movements.

It had been decided on March 4-5 in Zagreb at a meeting of the Ministers of Defence of 27 EU countries.

The central theme of the meeting…  was not to seek a response to the Coronavirus crisis which is jamming up the mobility of civilians, but how best to develop “military mobility”.(Manlio Dinucci, March 13, 2020)

And on March 11, when Trump suspended transatlantic “civilian” flights, US “military” flights to Europe were still ongoing.

About Turn, on March 13: the Pentagon ordered a halt to the deployment of US forces for Defender-Europe 20 ” … because of concerns about the coronavirus”.

“All movement of personnel and equipment from the United States to Europe has ceased,” according to US Army Europe… As we make the appropriate adjustments, the linked exercises to Exercise Defender-Europe 20 – Dynamic Front, Joint Warfighting Assessment, Saber Strike and Swift Response – will not be conducted.”

“Protecting Europe” against Russia is on hold. Why? Nothing to do with protecting civilians against the virus.

Was it a political decision by the Trump administration?

Of significance, the planning of this vast military exercise against Russia requires US-NATO access to EU civilian infrastructure, interaction with civilian politicians in 27 EU member states as well as in the US, consultants, government departments, supply lines, transportation, affiliated research entities, think tanks, etc.  

Another dimension is the virus “fear factor” affecting soldiers’ preparedness. According to  Colonel (ret) Karen Kwiatkowski:

“Being prepared for battlefield toxins isn’t the same as being prepared as a soldier for something that is already behind enemy lines, and is even in your own home town… the fear factor is real, perhaps more than the fear that is part of the life of combat troops.” (quoted by RT, March 14, 2020

The Europe Defender 2020 project was scheduled to take place in April- May, with a view to “promoting  peace through deterrence”.