Defencematters.eu Correspondents
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Defencematters.eu Correspondents
European defence spending jumps as governments respond to prolonged insecurity
Newly published data show global military expenditure reached $2.887 trillion in 2025, with Europe recording a 14 per cent rise as NATO members, Russia and Ukraine continued to expand defence budgets. Global military expenditure rose again in 2025, with Europe…
Russia’s Defence Minister Andrei Belousov Flies Into North Korea
The arrival of Russia’s defence minister Andrei Belousov in Pyongyang this weekend might, at first glance, appear a routine diplomatic engagement. It is anything but. Beneath the ceremonial language and carefully staged commemorations lies a relationship that has evolved with remarkable…
France and Greece put EU mutual defence back into operational focus
Emmanuel Macron and Kyriakos Mitsotakis have renewed the Franco-Greek defence partnership in Athens, using the visit to argue that Europe’s mutual assistance clause should be treated as an operational commitment rather than a treaty provision rarely tested in practice. France…
Ukrainian drones reach the Urals as Russia’s air defence gaps come under scrutiny
Ukrainian long-range drones have reached Yekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk, around 1,800 kilometres from Ukraine’s border, exposing gaps in Russia’s air defence network and challenging Moscow’s claims that such attacks require access to NATO airspace. Ukrainian long-range drones have reached Russia’s Urals…
America’s “Golden Dome” Takes Shape in $3.2bn Space Defence Push
The United States has taken a decisive step towards reshaping the future of missile defence, awarding contracts worth up to $3.2 billion to a dozen firms under its ambitious “Golden Dome” programme—a project that aspires to shift warfare’s frontier decisively…
EU Leaders Seek Practical Blueprint for Mutual Defence Clause
EU leaders used an informal summit in Cyprus to examine how the bloc’s mutual defence clause could operate in practice, amid a security environment shaped by Russia’s war against Ukraine, instability in the Middle East and renewed scrutiny of Europe’s…
Drone Debris in Romania Brings Ukraine War Risk Back to NATO’s Border
Romania said fragments from a drone fell in Galați during Russia’s overnight attack on Ukraine, damaging property but causing no casualties. The incident again underlines the exposure of NATO’s eastern flank to spillover from strikes near the Danube border. Drone…
China Targets European Defence Firms With Dual-Use Export Controls
Beijing has placed seven European defence-linked entities on an export control list over alleged Taiwan-related arms sales or cooperation, restricting access to Chinese-origin dual-use goods, technologies and services. China has imposed export controls on seven European entities over alleged involvement…
Russian Missile and Drone Barrage Tests Ukraine’s Air-Defence Capacity
Russia launched 47 missiles and 619 drones against Ukraine overnight, according to Ukraine’s air force, in one of the heaviest recent combined attacks. The strike renewed attention on Ukraine’s need for layered air defence, interceptor stocks and European support. Russia…
French-Polish Nuclear Exercises Would Mark Significant Shift in Europe’s Deterrence Debate
France and Poland are moving towards a more explicit form of strategic defence cooperation, with nuclear deterrence now entering discussions that until recently would have remained largely confined to national doctrine and NATO’s established nuclear framework. France and Poland are…