The scale of Germany’s ambitions to radically expand defense and infrastructure spending have raised thorny questions about how such spending can be reconciled with EU fiscal rules that Germany — previously a fiscal hawk — had long pushed for. Since March, however, Germany has led a concerted pushed for a loosening of those rules to
Illustration: Uli Knörzer for Bloomberg Three years into Russia’s invasion, Sergii Marchenko is courting donors and reassuring investors to ensure his country can continue fighting. June 6, 2025 at 4:00 AM EDT What does it take to run the finances of a country at war? That question is at the heart of this week’s conversation
BRUSSELS — Most U.S. allies at NATO endorse President Donald Trump’s demand that they invest 5% of gross domestic product on their defense needs and are ready to ramp up security spending even more, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte said Thursday. NATO is on the cusp of accepting Trump’s 5% defense investment demand, Rutte says “There’s
Adding to the confusion about the policy, Merz clarified Tuesday that the decision to lift restrictions on Ukraine’s use of Western-supplied long-range weapons had been made months ago. “The issue of limiting the range of deployed weapons played a role a few months and a few years ago. As far as I know, and as
The head of the EU executive also said the Commission would look to lower the oil price cap, a limit on the sales price for Russian crude oil which is decided at G7 level. Targeting Russia’s energy and banking sectors would have a “real impact” on the Kremlin, but doing so would be tricky because
The head of the EU executive also said the Commission would look to lower the oil price cap, a limit on the sales price for Russian crude oil which is decided at G7 level. Targeting Russia’s energy and banking sectors would have a “real impact” on the Kremlin, but doing so would be tricky because
Ukraine is firmly rejecting the classification of US military aid in its fight against Russia’s invasion as a loan. “We are grateful for the support, but this is not a loan, and we will not allow it,” President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists in Kiev on Friday. Zelensky also confirmed that Ukraine has received a new
Russia’s position on cryptocurrencies has undergone a significant shift in recent years, moving from strict opposition to a more nuanced and strategic approach. Once advocating a total ban on digital assets, the Bank of Russia is now proposing a regulatory framework that would permit wealthy individuals to invest in cryptocurrencies. The shift is notable given
Crucial elements of the new EU policy include favoring weapons production within the bloc and “like-minded third-country companies,” encouraging joint purchases of arms, making it easier to finance defense projects, focusing on key areas where the bloc has a capacity shortfall like air defense and military mobility, and slashing red tape on defense investments. Russia’s