Browsing: NATO

UK announces plans to buy 12 F-35A fighter jets, reintroducing a nuclear role for the Royal Air Force (RAF) for the first time since the Cold War.

The UK government has announced plans to purchase at least 12 F-35 stealth jets, enhancing its nuclear capabilities for the first time in a generation.

The UK has announced a significant expansion of its nuclear deterrent by purchasing 12 US-made F‑35A fighter jets capable of delivering B61‑12 tactical nuclear bombs, a shift making it the first British planes since the Cold War to carry nuclear weapons.

Sir Keir Starmer insists on pursuing controversial benefit cuts despite backlash from over 100 Labour MPs, including Sir Sadiq Khan, who warns of detrimental impacts on vulnerable individuals.

Sir Keir Starmer announced the UK’s intention to boost defence, security, and resilience spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, despite critics labelling the move as “smoke and mirrors” with no immediate cash promises.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy warns that Vladimir Putin may attack a NATO country within five years to test the alliance, although he believes Putin is not currently ready for immediate action.

The EU has been focused on NATO’s defence spending, with members agreeing to up spending to 5% of GDP (except Spain). European leaders are preparing to deal with Donald Trump again at the NATO summit, after several EU members called for retaliatory tariffs on the USA.

The war in the Middle East and Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine have also made up a lot of this week’s European headlines. Kyiv has suffered another heavy bombing, and there have been reports that the EU is considering suspending its partnership with Israel over its genocide in Gaza.

The EU and Canada have strengthened their ties with a new partnership and talks of digital trade and deeper cooperation on AI. The EU-Canada summit comes just before NATO.

NATO ambassadors agreed to boost defence spending and related spending, rising from the longstanding 2 % target to a combined 5 % of GDP by 2035, ahead of next week’s Hague summit.

Ramping up NATO members’ defence spending has gained momentum, supported by Germany and driven by the US administration’s objective to enhance military budgets across Europe.

NATO ambassadors from all 32 member states approved a new spending pledge to increase defence budgets to 5% of GDP by 2035, amid concerns over threats from Russia and China.