S T R AT E GI C E N V I RON M E N T the military strength it has regained. Its armed forces are also continuously gaining valuable experience, most notably through the successful deployment of the air force in Syria. On 4 March 2018, a former Russian double agent and his daughter were poisoned with a military nerve agent in Salisbury, in the UK. By a stroke of luck, both survived the attack. However, one person not directly involved in the attack died after coming into contact with the toxic substance. It is now considered highly likely that the perpetrators were Russian. The Russian regime was sending out a signal that the West and traitors in its own ranks should be afraid. The subsequent Russian disinformation campaign followed the pattern of similar influence operations, intended to sow the seeds of conflict between EU members, to adversely influence Europe’s relations with the USA and to generally spread uncertainty, fear and mistrust. However, the West’s response to the attempted assassination was probably far stronger and more united than Russia had expected. By the end of March 2018, 29 Western states had expelled around 150 Russians, most of whom had an intelligence background. This blatant assassination attempt and the subsequent denial of responsibility for the crime have led in the West to a further loss of trust in the Russian leadership. USA: focus on global strategic competition President Donald Trump and his administration see the strategic environment as one in which the security, prosperity and global interests of the USA are being threatened by a number of state actors. The National Security Strategy published in December 2017 sees one of the main challenges facing the USA as being the intensified strategic competition with the ʻrevisionist powersʼ Russia and China. The USA initially responded to this with measures to strengthen its armed forces. A significant increase in defence spending is intended to remedy deficits in the operational readiness and to finance certain reinforcements and extensive modernisation programmes. In order to improve its deterrence and defence capabilities against Russia, the USA is also increasing its military capabilities in Europe. These actual measures are in marked contrast to the President’s remarks sharply criticising NATO and raising doubts about his transatlantic commitment. However, the USA continues to call forcefully for substantial increases in European contributions to common defence. Moreover, it is no longer prepared to accept Russian violations of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF Treaty) and on 2 February 2019 gave notice that it was terminating the Treaty. In 1987, the USA 22 S I T UAT I O N R E PORT 2 0 1 9 | F I S