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France and Poland launch joint military satellite project as Gdańsk summit sharpens defence agenda
France and Poland used their first bilateral summit under the Treaty of Nancy to widen defence cooperation, backing a joint military communications satellite project, closer industrial coordination and a broader strategic dialogue on European security. France and Poland moved to…
Ankara presses case for inclusion in Europe’s defence projects
Turkey is pressing for a wider role in Europe’s defence architecture as NATO allies reassess capability, industrial resilience and the future balance of responsibility between Europe and the United States. The issue has gained renewed relevance because of Ankara’s position…
IMF puts defence spending and conflict economics at centre of April outlook release
The IMF released analytical chapters on 8 April examining the macroeconomics of defence spending, conflict and recovery, placing security-driven fiscal pressures at the centre of its spring outlook cycle. The International Monetary Fund placed defence spending, conflict and post-war recovery…
Trump’s NATO threat sharpens focus on Europe’s role as Rutte heads to Washington
Donald Trump’s statement that he is considering taking the United States out of NATO has pushed Europe’s burden-sharing debate into a more immediate phase, despite fresh alliance data showing a sharp rise in European and Canadian defence spending. Donald Trump’s…
Rheinmetall chief’s drone remarks expose a wider defence-industry argument
Comments by Rheinmetall chief executive Armin Papperger about Ukrainian drone production have opened a broader argument about innovation, industrial scale and the future balance between heavy armour and cheaper unmanned systems. In an interview with The Atlantic, Papperger dismissed much…
UK and EU back on course for SAFE defence fund deal
European Council President António Costa says Britain and the EU are moving towards an agreement on UK participation in the bloc’s SAFE defence-financing instrument, reopening a file that had stalled and giving new weight to the wider reset in defence…
BEDEX puts Brussels at the centre of Europe’s defence industry
BEDEX, the Brussels European Defence Exhibition and Conference, opens at Brussels Expo from 12 to 14 March 2026, with the first two days reserved for defence and security professionals and the final day open to the general public. The organisers…
Belgium to launch drone and interception system production with Ukraine
Belgium is to begin domestic production of drones and anti-drone systems in cooperation with Ukraine’s defence industry, in a move that reflects the growing influence of Ukrainian battlefield technology on European defence planning, according to BX1’s report on Theo Francken’s…
Trump Administration Warns EU Over ‘Buy European’ Defence Procurement Plans
Europe’s accelerating rearmament has opened a new line of tension with Washington: not over whether European states should spend more on defence, but over where that money should go. Reports this week indicate that the Trump administration warned the European…
New EU funding and procurement architecture for Ukraine shifts towards arms contracts
The European Commission has put forward a new two-year financial package designed to cover a large share of Ukraine’s forecast needs in 2026 and 2027, while tying a substantial portion of EU-level support more directly to defence procurement. The proposals,…