DEFENCE BUDGETS
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EU prepares €5.9bn drone payout for Ukraine after Hungary lifts veto
EU defence ministers have moved Ukraine support towards battlefield delivery, with a first €5.9bn drone payout expected this month and Hungary lifting its veto on €6.6bn in blocked military-support funds. The European Union is preparing to channel the first €5.9bn…
London Ukraine meeting tests whether Europe can turn support into security guarantees
The leaders of Britain, France and Germany are meeting President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in London in a renewed attempt to coordinate European support for Ukraine and define the security guarantees that could underpin any future settlement with Russia. The talks, hosted…
Turkey seeks larger defence role as Europe rearms and alliances shift
Turkey is seeking a larger role in Western defence markets as European governments increase military spending, expand procurement and reassess their dependence on the United States for long-term security guarantees. The shift reflects both Turkey’s growing defence-industrial capacity and the…
Britain’s Defence Delusion: A Nation Rearming in Slow Motion
As Europe confronts its most dangerous security environment since the end of the Cold War, Britain’s political leadership appears trapped in a familiar cycle: ambitious declarations, strategic reviews and spending pledges that repeatedly fail to translate into meaningful action. The…
US House Ukraine Bill Exposes Widening Split Over Support for Kyiv
The US House of Representatives has passed a bill providing new aid to Ukraine and imposing further sanctions on Russia, in a vote that exposed a widening split between President Donald Trump, Republican leaders in Congress and a cross-party group…
Ukraine Launches ‘Logistics Lockdown’ to Hit Russian Rear Supply Network
Kyiv is putting an additional 5 billion hryvnias (€96.97 million) into middle-strike systems, aiming to disrupt Russian logistics, command posts, depots and air defence assets at operational depth. Ukraine has launched a new defence programme called “Logistics Lockdown”, designed to…
Italy’s SAFE Fund Dispute Exposes the Budget Politics Behind Europe’s Rearmament Plans
Rome says it needs EU defence loans to rebuild military capacity, but the dispute over energy costs shows how Europe’s rearmament plans remain tied to national budget pressures. Italy’s Defence Minister Guido Crosetto has said Rome has an “essential” need…
Keir Starmer Promises Rearmament While His Government Unravels
For a Prime Minister fighting for his political life, there is nothing quite so comforting as a large number with a pound sign in front of it. Sir Keir Starmer’s reported £18 billion “boost” to defence spending has all the…
Taiwan Defence Budget Delay Raises Capability Gap Concerns
Taiwan’s parliament has approved a reduced supplementary defence package, prompting concern in Washington and warnings in Taipei that delays to domestic drone, missile and air defence projects could weaken deterrence against China. Taiwan’s delayed supplementary defence budget has exposed a…
European Combat Vessel workshop tests industry role in future naval capability
A three-day European Combat Vessel industry workshop in Cádiz brings together EU governments, maritime communities and shipbuilding representatives to shape a future modular combat vessel intended for the 2040s. European defence officials and industry representatives are meeting in Spain this…