WorldEU defense ministers meeting in Ireland said Europe needs to do more to counter growing Russian hybrid threats. The talks follow Germany’s accusation that Russia was behind a suspected drone incident at Leipzig Airport and also address Europe’s vulnerabilities and support for Ukraine.
WorldSwedish Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard says she dislikes the term “hybrid threat,” comparing it to an environmentally friendly car. She says growing drone incidents in EU territory show that Europe is facing its most serious security situation since the Second World War.
WorldEU defence ministers are meeting as hybrid-war attacks in Europe escalate. Europe Today examines rising threat levels across the continent linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine, alongside a preview of France’s election campaign and interviews with MEPs Terry Reintke and Juan Fernando López Aguilar.
PoliticsEurope Today goes live as EU defence ministers meet amid heightened threats from Russia, while France’s election campaign gathers pace.
WorldFormer US ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder says the Trump administration lacks a coordinated plan to pressure Russia into negotiations. He argues Washington should pair continued military support for Ukraine with tougher economic measures and diplomacy, while seeing little chance that Xi Jinping’s upcoming Washington visit will advance efforts to end the war.
Bloomberg Television
WorldThe program examines politics and global business. Former US ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder says the Trump administration lacks a concerted strategy for pressuring Russia. It also reports that the Texas Senate race is essentially tied, with Ken Paxton’s political and personal baggage helping put the state in play for Democrats.
Bloomberg Television
WorldThe United States has questioned all 32 NATO members about their alignment with Washington’s foreign policy, defence-spending commitments and any limits on US access to bases and airspace. The questionnaire asks whether they can credibly reach defence spending of 5% of GDP and whether they support the Trump administration’s “NATO 3.0” concept, which gives European allies greater responsibility for their own defence with less US support.
WorldEU countries are expected to spend €454 billion on defense this year, yet much of the technology Europe needs still comes from the United States. As joint European projects stall and governments buy US-made fighters, missiles and intelligence systems, rearmament could either strengthen Europe’s security or deepen its dependence on Washington.
WorldRussia’s influence campaign against the Baltic states has become a major security concern for NATO and the European Union. Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania face challenges beyond conventional military threats, including cyberattacks, border incidents and economic pressure. The episode examines hybrid warfare, the region’s frontline role in European security and the Baltic nations’ responses.
WorldThe Wall Street Journal reports that US intelligence assessments indicate Vladimir Putin may be preparing a limited incursion as soon as the coming weeks. The war’s front line in Ukraine is described as stalemated, while Russians are increasingly feeling its effects. The report suggests Putin may be strongly motivated to open another front and test NATO’s resolve because he may not want to be remembered as the leader who lost Ukraine. Warning signs are appearing across Europe.
WorldRecent US intelligence assessments suggest that Russian President Vladimir Putin could seek to test NATO’s resolve within the next few years by launching a limited attack on an allied country, according to three people familiar with the reports. The assessments describe several possible paths for Russian escalation. These include a cyberattack or a small-scale incursion. The apparent aim would be to challenge NATO’s unity and its commitment to Article 5, which treats an attack on one member as an attack on all.
CNN