Alice Tidey

Europe News

Latvian minister: ‘No space and place for complacency’ over defence

EU leaders are trying to come up with solutions to boost joint financing in defence with the Commission estimating the bloc needs to invest €500 billion over the coming decade.

15 February 2025

Europe News

The EU says its major foe is Russia, but US Vice President disagrees

"What I worry about is the threat from within: the retreat of Europe from some of its most fundamental values, values shared with the USA,” JD Vance said.

14 February 2025

Europe News

Commission to activate fiscal escape clause to boost defence spending

The EU Commission will propose to activate the escape clause for defence investments, Ursula von der Leyen announced in Munich. "This will allow Member states to substantially increase their defence expenditure," she said.

14 February 2025

Europe News

European preference for defence spending 'imperative', industry says

EU member states are currently negotiating whether to roll-out a so-called European preference for bloc-level defence spending.

13 February 2025

Europe News

NATO allies need to spend 'considerably' more to deter Russia: Rutte

NATO allies are currently negotiating an upward revision to the defence spending target, despite several countries failing to reach the current 2% of GDP threshold.

12 February 2025

Europe News

'Perfect storm' of crises threatening EU's security, economic model

The multipolarisation of the international order is challenging the EU's liberal vision with Donald Trump's return to the White House likely to accelerate the trend, a key report found.

10 February 2025

Europe News

EU leaders avoid controversy as they discuss defence spending options

The Commission estimates that the EU needs to invest €500 billion in the sector over the coming decade so that it can continue to support Ukraine but also ensure it is in a position to defend itself following decades of under-investments.

4 February 2025

Europe News

EU leaders meet to discuss defence priorities as huge divisions remain

The EU needs to invest €500 billion over the coming decades to shore up its defence and kickstart its defence industries but member states remain divided over what and where to buy crucial equipment and how to finance it all.

2 February 2025

Europe News

EU must plan funds for new members in next budget: Ukrainian minister

In a Euronews-moderated debate in Davos, Ukraine's foreign minister called on the bloc to put its money where its mouth is on enlargement, insisting that Ukraine's membership will not be costly for the other member states.

21 January 2025

Europe News

EU must not be 'weak and defeatist' to gain Trump's respect: Macron

The European Union came out of the first Trump presidency stronger and must continue to become more independent, the French president told his top diplomats.

6 January 2025

Europe News

Zelenskyy calls for more arms, dismisses Orbán's Christmas truce idea

The Ukrainian President warned that his brigades are unequipped to face Russia and that only continued US and European unity will enable Kyiv to prevail.

19 December 2024

Europe News

Lithuanian President touts 5% of GDP on defence in 'coming years'

EU leaders want to ramp up defence production and capacity but have so far been unable to agree on how to finance it.

19 December 2024

Europe News

EU affairs ministers rebuke Georgia, Turkey in enlargement conclusions

The enlargement conclusions validated by ministers come a day before leaders of the Western Balkans and the European Union meet in Brussels.

17 December 2024

Europe News

EU signs satellite constellation contracts to up secure connectivity

The multi-orbital satellite constellation, dubbed IRIS², is scheduled to come fully online in 2030.

16 December 2024

Europe News

NATO chief urges citizens to 'make sacrifices' to up defence spending

The 32 NATO allies are currently in discussion to increase the defence spending benchmark from the current 2% of GDP.

12 December 2024

Europe News

Global uncertainty fuelling support for closer EU-UK ties, poll finds

British and European respondents believe that a stronger relationship would help them weather geopolitical headwinds, a major new poll has found.

12 December 2024

Europe News

EU 'defence bonds' cheaper if national budgets frontloaded: Kubilius

Andrius Kubilius is expected to draw up a White Paper on European Defence within his first three months in office, including ways to finance what he has described as a "big bang" in military spending.

5 December 2024

Europe News

French politics in turmoil as government ousted in no-confidence vote

The government collapsed after it failed to gather the support of the far-right National Rally party of Marine Le Pen for its budget.

4 December 2024

Europe News

NATO must discuss military aid for Ukraine, not peace deal: Rutte

Allies are keen to bolster Ukraine's defence and footing in the war before Donald Trump retakes office in the US in just over a month.

3 December 2024

Europe News

To keep US support on Ukraine under Trump, EU invokes China

Donald Trump has threatened to slash the US assistance to Ukraine and said he would seek to end the war instigated by Russia within days of taking office.

13 November 2024