Why the EU debate on outsourcing solutions for migration is not going away
Also in this newsletter: Poland seizes the moment to push for EU defence spending
defence spending
Natoโs European members discuss 3% target for defence spending
Increased military expenditure could be agreed at next yearโs summit, intensifying pressure on national budgets
Russian defence spending rises to a record high – a third of the budget
Russian defence spending rises to a record high – a third of the budget
Ukraine war briefing: US urges Zelenskyy to lower conscription age to 18
Biden administration readying another $725m in arms for Kyiv; Zelenskyy to approve tax increases for defence funding. What we know on day 1,009 A senior official in Joe Bidenโs administration has told the Associated Press that the US is urging Ukraine…
Von der Leyen calls for more EU defence spending after narrow election victory
European Commission president says average spending in Europe is 1.9% of GDP, while Russiaโs is 9%The head of the EU executive, Ursula von der Leyen, has called for more defence spending in Europe over the next five years, as her top team was voted in …
Rutte, Tusk insist on defence spending, supporting Ukraine ahead of Trump return
Tusk wants Poland’s easter border to be โan impassable boundary for possible aggressors or attackers.โย
German foreign minister backs higher NATO spending targetย
Public support for upping NATOโs 2% goal is growing among German officials after Trump’s victory.
Butter thefts highlight cost of Russiaโs war economy
Rampant inflation of staple food prices is linked to skyrocketing defence spending
UK defence chief calls for more spending on military
Treasury minister Darren Jones says defence spending should rise to 2.5% of GDP, but avoids saying by when.
UK โplanning lots of scenariosโ for Donald Trumpโs approach to Ukraine
Chief secretary to the Treasury says security and defence spending are a priority but require โtrade-offsโUS politics โ live updatesThe UK is examining all possible options when it comes to the US president-elect Donald Trumpโs approach to Ukraine, the…
Army chief calls for more spending on defence
Treasury minister Darren Jones says the government wants to boost defence spending but avoids saying by when
Boost UK defence spending to win Trumpโs support, former navy chief urges Starmer
Lord West says Republican victory is chance to show Britain is willing to prioritise military by allocating 3% of GDPKeir Starmer is being urged to consider an emergency cash injection into defence and to accelerate Britainโs planned review of its mili…
Kubilius urges boost in defence spending, not over Trump, but real threat Putin
The first-ever commissioner-designate for defence called on member states to boost military spending.
Poland eyes defence bonds as EU refuses to exempt defence spending from deficit rules
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more about Norway helping Romania acquire a Patriot system, Spain cancelling a multimillion ammunition deal with Israel, and so much more.ย ย
If Trump wins the election, Nato can expect more turbulence ahead
Past threats former president โ and present Russian ones โ have spurred Europe to invest in self-defence, but as conflicts rise the alliance still looks vitalPoliteness and convention dictate that European leaders try to sound noncommittal when asked w…
If Trump wins the election, Nato can expect more turbulence ahead
Past threats former president โ and present Russian ones โ have spurred Europe to invest in self-defence, but as conflicts rise the alliance still looks vitalPoliteness and convention dictate that European leaders try to sound noncommittal when asked w…
Lithuania opposition seeks to cement election win in run-off votes
If the left-leaning Social Democrats (SD) succeed in forming a government, they are expected to maintain Lithuania’s hawkish stance against Russia and hefty defence spending.
Poland pushes EU to exempt its defence spending from fiscal rules
Finance minister says Brussels should show solidarity instead of pursuing Warsaw under blocโs excessive deficit procedure
โTrump-proofโ European security by setting up โNato bankโ, thinktanks urge
UK and German experts also urge leaders to actively consider measures to protect Ukraine if ex-US president is re-elected Europe, the UK and Ukraine urgently need to โTrump-proofโ their collective security by setting up a โNato bankโ to aid defence spe…
Frugal no more: new NATO chief Mark Rutte urges members increase defence spending
“To truly match the capabilities with the needs, we need significantly more defence spending,” says Rutte in his inauguration speech to NATO members.
Russia plans to boost defence spending by a quarter for 2025
Russia will boost its defence budget by nearly 30% next year, surpassing welfare and education spending, a draft budget showed. The 2025 defence budget is set at 13.5 trillion rubles ($145 billion), up from 10.4 trillion in 2024. Military expenditure …
Russiaโs defence spending to rise by 25% next year, the highest since the cold war
Defence and security will amount to 40% of government spending as Vladimir Putin continues war against UkraineRussia is set to increase its spending on defence by 25% in 2025, the highest since the cold war, as Vladimir Putin vows to continue his war e…
Russian defence spending to rise by a quarter in 2025
Next yearโs budget signals Kremlinโs readiness to fight a long war in Ukraine
Russia-Ukraine war live: Zelenskyy warns of โnuclear terrorโ amid threat of Russian strikes on energy facilities
Ukraine president claims Russia is using Chinese satellites to photograph facilities it is intending to strikeRussia plans to maintain defence spending at an historic high in 2025, Bloomberg News reports, suggesting that the Kremlin intend to continue …
Lithuanian defence minister urges 4% of GDP for military expenditures
Lithuanian Defence Minister Laurynas Kasฤiลซnas has called for an increase in defence spending to 4% of GDP, aiming to procure long-range air defence systems and other military equipment.
The Brief โ Whether Trump or Harris makes no big difference
The Old Continent was not expected to be at the heart of the first US presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump last night (11 September), so it was no surprise that it only cropped up in the context of the Ukraine war and defence spen…
Europe’s fragmented defence industry needs coordination to avoid supply crisis – Draghi report
The EU defence market could face a supply crisis if member states do not align their defence spending and procurement plans, according to Draghi’s report on competitiveness.
โQuite underwhelmingโ: Draghi briefing on competitiveness report light on details
Mario Draghiโs presentation of his long-awaited report on the future of Europeโs competitiveness to EU officials on Wednesday (4 July) was light on details and policy proposals – with Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen signalling she hasn’t accessed…
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announces record defence spending in 2025 budget
The current proposal would break the previous defence spending record of 159 billion zlotys (โฌ37 billion) in the 2024 budget.
Podemos claims Spanish right-wing wants UK-like โexplosion of racismโ
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more about Poland reported to be boosting its defence spending next year, Italy waiting until the last minute to officially announce its commissioner pick, and so much more.
Poland to increase defence spending plans in 2025 โ media reports
Poland will spend 4.7% of its GDP on defence in 2025, up 0.6 percentage points from this year’s spending plans, according to plans for the new budget seen by Polish media
Japan PM Kishida to step down as scandals prove too much
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he will step down in September, ending a three-year term marred by political scandals and paving the way for a new premier to address the impact of rising prices.
โAxis of upheavalโ adds urgency to review of UK defence spending
Deepening military and trade links between Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are making western powers uneasyGen Roly Walker, the head of the British army, has described it as the โaxis of upheavalโ. George Robertson, the new head of the UKโs defence…
NATO finds gaping holes in Europeโs defences
The war in Ukraine and the US presidential election dominated a NATO summit in Washington this month but, away from the public stage, the alliance’s military planners have been focused on assessing the enormous cost of fixing Europe’s creaking defences.
Von der Leyen vows to stop China from invading Taiwan
The US warned of Beijing’s readiness to invade by 2027, which would be during the five-year mandate the Commission president is seeking.
Canada takes step to acquire up to 12 submarines to guard Arctic
Canada, looking to shore up its defense of the Arctic, is moving ahead to acquire up to 12 submarines and has started a formal process to meet with manufacturers, the defense ministry said on Wednesday (10 July).
Labour will not boost military spend without economic growth, says minister
Comments come as PM begins two-day US visit to urge Nato member countries to increase defence spendingโข UK politics live โ latest updatesโข Nato summit โ live updatesThe Labour government will not increase spending on the military unless it is also able…
NATO looks at how to make itself โwar-readyโ
NATO leaders’ new defence plans, which will require record-high military spending, will face scrutiny when they meet on Wednesday (10 July) to discuss ways to ramp up the alliance’s defence capabilities.ย
UKโs Starmer commits to increasing defence spending to 2.5% of GDP
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday (9 July) said he would fulfil a campaign commitment to increase UK defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, but underlined he would only do so when the country could afford it and after a review of defence strategy.
UKโs Keir Starmer urges allies to hike defense spending
Days into taking office, the new British prime minister is taking a message to Washington.
Why Spain is Natoโs laggard on defence spending
EUโs fourth-biggest economy contributes a lower share of GDP to the military than any other ally
New German defence budget slammed as โtoo lowโ by critics
Experts and politicians from across the spectrum have criticised the budget agreement reached by Germany’s coalition parties, bemoaning the small increase in defence spending as insufficient to counter the threat from Russia.
ECB urges Eurozone countries to cut high levels of debt
Central bank warns of fiscal challenges including ageing populations, extra defence spending and climate change
EU must not neglect development aid over defence, Commissioner Urpilainen warns
The EU’s increased defence spending priorities must not come at the expense of development aid, as this could risk isolating the continent geopolitically, the Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen warned in an interview.
French, Italian businesses urge incoming EU leaders to make โcrucial decisionsโ to boost competitiveness
Leading French and Italian business organisations urged the next European Parliament to boost the blocโs faltering competitiveness on Tuesday (4 June) by cutting regulations and ramping up investments in green and digital technologies and defence.
EU defence spending should not cut into cohesion funds, Commissioner warns
New EU priorities, such as defence, should not come at the cost of helping poorer EU regions, European Commissioner for Cohesion Elisa Ferreira told Euractiv on Monday (3 June) in Berlin.
Lithuanian president announces re-election
(Recasts with Nauseda calling victory) By Andrius Sytas VILNIUS, May 26 (Reuters) – Lithuanian Gitanas Nauseda announced his re-election in a presidential ballot on Sunday, following a campaign dominated by security concerns in the European Union and N…
Ukraine war briefing: France flies nuclear-capable missile as Russia holds drills
China sending Russia lethal aid, says British defence secretary; Zelenskiy stresses need for defence against glide bombs. What we know on day 820France has carried out its first test firing of an updated nuclear-capable missile, the ASMPA-R, designed t…
Belousov will bring economic rigour to Russian defence spending
Putinโs appointment of pliant technocrat as defence minister indicates major shift in handling of Ukraine war
NATO pressure omitted in PM office statement after Meloni-Stoltenberg meeting
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday, but the statement issued by Meloniโs office after the meeting made no mention of the NATO chiefโs pressure on Italy over low defence spending, with exp…
Portuguese foreign minister calls for EU defence and enlargement budget boost
The European Unionโs long-term budget needs to be strengthened to cover defence spending and enlargement, Portuguese Foreign Minister Paulo Rangel said on Monday as he pointed to EU enlargement being difficult negotiation-wise.
Eleven countries to breach EU deficit rules
Poland and others push to be exempt from โexcessive deficit procedureโ owing to their high defence spending
Polandโs Duda insists on NATO allies to spend 3% of GDP on defence
Polish President Andrzej Duda has urged other NATO countries to increase their respective defence spending to 3% of GDP, arguing that the security situation has changed and previous decade-old agreements lack ambition.
Germany’s Scholz urges Europe to do for Ukraine as UK PM ups defence spending
A meeting between the British and German leaders made for a show of unity even as disagreements on how to help Ukraine persist.
UK to boost defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, Sunak says
PM pledges to put arms industry on โwar footingโ with plan to raise defence budget to ยฃ87bn a year by 2030Britain will boost its defence spending to 2.5% of national output by the end of the decade as Rishi Sunak pledged to put the UKโs arms industry o…
Western military aid to Ukraine closes spending gap with Russia โ SIPRI report
Western military aid to Ukraine has narrowed the spending gap between Ukraine and Russia to $10 billion, as an investment race is spreading globally, according to the latest data on military spending released by SIPRI
Spainโs far-left Podemos criticise Sรกnchez for increasing defence spending
Deputy leader of the far-left Podemos party Irene Montero on Wednesday lashed out at the Socialist Party (PSOE/S&D) government and its ally, the Sumar platform, for increasing defence spending by over โฌ1 billion.
EU finance ministers deadlocked on RRF extension and EIB defence spending
European finance ministers failed to make any breakthroughs on Friday (12 April) on whether to prolong the bloc’s multibillion pandemic recovery fund beyond 2026 and on how the EIB’s investment criteria could be modified to boost defence-related expend…
Europe needs more funds for defence as wider war โno longer a fantasyโ, Borrell warns
A full-scale conflict in Europe is โno longer a fantasyโ and Europeans must find new ways to financially prepare for a potentially wider war on the continent, the EUโs chief diplomat Josep Borrell warned on Tuesday (9 April).
European defence spending needs to speed up, says Von der Leyen
Europe is being targeted both from within and from outside, Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday.
European defence spending needs to speed up, says Von der Leyen
Europe is being targeted both from within and from outside, Ursula von der Leyen said on Sunday.
Ukraine war briefing: Nato foreign ministers to discuss proposal for โฌ100bn fund for Ukraine
Nato plan seen as a way to โTrump-proofโ aid for Kyiv; Zelenskiy lowers conscription age to 25. What we know on day 770See all our Ukraine war coverageA Ukrainian drone struck the primary unit of the third-largest Russian oil refinery in the Tatarstan …
Estoniaโs Kaja Kallas backs Mark Rutte for NATO top job
Dutch PM wins high-profile endorsement.
Europe must get ready for looming war, Donald Tusk warns
Polish prime minister urges countries to step up defence spending after Russian missile bound for Ukraine breaches airspaceThe Polish prime minister, Donald Tusk, says Europe is entering a โprewarโ era, cautioning that the continent is not ready and ur…
Romanian defence spending far below Iohannisโ 2022 pledge
Romania’s defence spending in 2023 reached 1.6% of the country’s GDP, far below the 2.5% pledge made by President Iohannis at the NATO summit in Madrid in 2022, an official NATO report has found, TVR reported.
Sweden expands military presence in Baltic Sea
Sweden has abandoned two centuries of military non-alignment as it recently became the newest member of NATO. The country’s military has been boosting its preparedness since Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea by reintroducing limited conscription in 2…
Difficult talks ahead on financing new EU defence spending
With the war in Ukraine showingย noย signs ofย ending any time soon, EU leaders will meet in Brussels on Thursday and Friday (21 and 22 March) to discuss how to boost the defence capabilities of Ukraine and of the bloc itself.
Call to change EIB defence spending rules hits scepticism
Fourteen EU member states are pushing for the European Investment Bank to boost defence investment, potentially including ammunition โ but bank officials have shown reluctance.
Denmark to start conscripting women for first time
The Scandinavian nation also wants to raise the service time for men and women, and boost defence spending.
Denmark to start conscripting women for first time
The Scandinavian nation also wants to raise the service time for men and women, and boost defence spending.
US offers Warsaw 96 Apache helicopters, as Polish leaders visit Washington
In todayโs edition of the Capitals, find out more about the growing calls for increased defence spending in Sweden, Duda and Tusk visiting the US together despite conflict at home, and so much more.
Swedish liberals want defence spending beyond 2% NATO target
The liberal Centre Party called on Tuesday for Sweden to increase its defence spending from the NATO-recommended 2% to 3% of the countryโs GDP less than a week after joining the alliance.
Von der Leyen pushes for coordinated EU defence spending
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will soon put forward a common strategy for the EU’s defence industry, designed to strengthen military production and arms supply.
France’s Le Maire ‘goes German’ with austerity budget
The French government announced โฌ10bn in further spending cuts. However, defence spending is set to increase significantly, up to โฌ413bn from โฌ295bn. โฌ400m was cut to a fund meant for renovating schools, carpooling infrastructure and other regional env…
Ursula von der Leyen announces bid for 2nd term
One of Europe’s most powerful leaders is poised for another 5 years running the European Commission.
‘They have to pay their bills’: Trump accuses Nato allies of not sharing costs of alliance โ video
Former president Donald Trump has launched his latest verbal attack on the US’s Nato allies, accusing them of not ‘paying their bills’ in maintaining the military alliance. Speaking to reporters outside court in New York City, where he attended a heari…
โA lot higher than we expectedโ: Russian arms production worries Europeโs war planners
Moscow has massively ramped up its industry, giving it advantages in Ukraine and leading to a redistribution of wealthAs Ukraine has scrambled to source ammunition, arms and equipment for its defence, Russia has presided over a massive ramping up of in…
Jens Stoltenberg says Nato โon the right trackโ on defence spending as Ukraine counts cost of Russian missile strikes โ as it happened
Nato secretary general says โsupporting Ukraine is not charityโ but โan investment in our own securityโFrance and Ukraine will sign a bilateral agreement on security commitments tomorrow, the Elysee has announced, Reuters reported.The agreement was exp…
NATOโs Trump contingency planning: Keep calm and invest
NATO’s European members have embarked on a mission to prove they are stepping up their burden-sharing efforts, in a bid to preempt the risks of a new Donald Trump presidency and preserve the alliance’s unity in the face of the most serious security cha…
Nato chief rebukes Donald Trump and announces record defence spending
Jens Stoltenberg accuses Trump of undermining alliance and says 18 members are expected to invest at least 2% of GDP this yearJens Stoltenberg, Natoโs secretary general, has accused Donald Trump of undermining the basis of the transatlantic alliance as…
NATO says 18 members will reach 2% spending target this yearย
Eighteen out of 31 NATO countries will spend more than the required 2% of GDP on defence in 2024, according to estimates presented by Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg on Wednesday (14 February), days after US presidential candidate Donald Trump criti…
NATO chief says 18 member states will hit military spending target in 2024
Eighteenย out of 31 NATO countries will hit the target of 2% in defence spending of their gross domestic product in 2024, NATO’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Wednesday.
Weimar Triangle could be used to boost Europeโs defence, experts say
Leaders in Berlin, Paris, and Warsaw are pitching the โWeimar Triangleโ as a new centrepiece for Europeโs joint defence in response to concerning signals from the United States. While experts see potential for synergies, they warn that the three-way ap…
Global defence spending rises 9% to record $2.2tn
Budgets expected to increase further amid โdeteriorating security landscapeโ triggered by invasion of UkraineGlobal defence spending increased by 9% to a record $2.2tn during 2023 driven by heightened geopolitical tensions caused by Russiaโs invasion o…
Hereโs how to find more funds for Ukraine โ liquidate Russiaโs $300bn in frozen assets | Olena Halushka
Western allies are running short of cash, but they could help release billions and hurt Putinโs war effort at the same timeThe White House has warned that the US will run out of funds for Ukraine by the end of the year if Congress doesnโt approve a new…
War in Ukraine boosts depressed Russian regions amid defence sector boom
The Kremlin appears to be preparing for a long, drawn-out war in Ukraine by boosting defence spending by 70 percent next year, a move that promises to benefit depressed Russian regions and sectors related to the war effort.
Germany rushes to assure allies about defence spending
Germanyโs โฌ100 billion special fund to boost its defence capabilities will not be affected by an emergency budget freeze, the Defence Ministry clarified on Thursday following the uncertainty caused by a court that ruled parts of Germanyโs spending comm…
Russian lawmakers approve budget with record amount earmarked for defence spending
Under the spending plan, the country’s largest ever, defence spending is expected to overtake social spending next year for the first time in modern Russian history. The development comes as the Kremlin is eager to shore up support for President Vladim…
German chancellor Olaf Scholz admits uncertainty over defence spending
Berlin pledges to plug budgetary holes that will speed up procurement and help meet Nato targets
France spins its Ukraine aid
SNEAK PEEK โ The numbers show that France is a laggard when it comes to arming Ukraine, but a parliament report argues that itโs doing better than suggested. โ Airbus is complaining that the German government is blocking Eurofighter sales to Saudi Arabia. โ Germany spells out the details of its future troop deployment to [โฆ]
Defence spending could get special status in new EU deficit rules
Defence spending could be granted special status in the EU fiscal rules under the new economic governance review (EGR) in a bid to encourage member state investment in this area, according to a draft compromise seen by Euractiv.
Former Estonia army chief boosts Europeโs defense industry
SNEAK PEEK โ The former chief of Estoniaโs defense forces, now an MEP, is working on how to help Europeโs defense industry. โ France wants its security and defense think tanks to become more influential. โ Germany wants to make its armed forces more attractive for women amid recruitment challenges. Good morning, and welcomeย to Morning [โฆ]
Former UK defense chief warns big EU countries wonโt keep NATO spending pledge
Ben Wallace was in the mix as a potential new NATO secretary-general before quitting in July.
Russia scrambles to cover ballooning cost of Ukraine war
One-off budget revenues to go up in 2024 as Moscowโs defence spending has tripled
Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: what we know on day 586 of the invasion
Joe Biden urges Congress to swiftly approve Ukraine aid left out of US government funding bill; Rishi Sunak rows back on defence ministerโs suggestion that British troops could carry out training in UkraineSee all our Ukraine coverageThe US president, …
Wavering support? Ukraine’s Zelensky back in Washington as critics grow louder
Does Volodymyr Zelensky still have that magic touch? The plucky leader who emerged on the world stage as the face of Ukraineโs David-versus-Goliath struggle against Russia is back in Washington to lobby for support after a showdown with the invader at…
Fiscal union would boost EU defence spending, says ECBโs Fabio Panetta
Incoming Italian central bank chief echoes call to make blocโs โฌ800bn pandemic recovery fund a permanent facility
Sweden to boost defence spending next year by almost 30%
Stockholm rapidly increases budget to meet Natoโs 2% of GDP target
Italy far from reaching NATO spending targets
Italy will not be able to reach the defence spending target of 2% of the countryโs GDP as required by the NATO alliance unless it is unbundled from budget constraints, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto (Fratelli dโItalia/ECR) told parliament on Wednesday…
Macronโs โbonsai armyโ needs more money to grow
France plans to boost defence spending by 40% but will not get many new capabilities