This Canadian businessman was nervous to venture into the European market — but it's working
Brad Sparkman, the owner of an Ontario company that specializes in the robotic painting of automobiles, says his company has been venturing into the European market 'and they've embraced us.'
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Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
NATO chief Rutte calls for 400% increase in the alliance's air and missile defense
LONDON (AP) — NATO members need to increase their air and missile defenses by 400% to counter the threat from Russia, the head of the military alliance plans to say on Monday. Secretary-General Mark Rutte will say during a visit to London that NATO must take a 'quantum leap in our collective defense' to face growing instability and threats, according to extracts released by NATO before Rutte's speech. Rutte is due to meet U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer at 10 Downing St. ahead of a NATO summit in the Netherlands where the 32-nation alliance is likely to commit to a big hike in military spending. Like other NATO members, the U.K. has been reassessing its defense spending since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Starmer has pledged to increase British defense spending to 2.5% of gross domestic product by 2027 and to 3% by 2034. Rutte has proposed a target of 3.5% of economic output on military spending and another 1.5% on 'defense-related expenditure' such as roads, bridges, airfields and sea ports. He said last week he is confident the alliance will agree to the target at its summit in The Hague on June 24-25. At the moment, 22 of the 32 member countries meet or exceed NATO's current 2% target. The new target would meet a demand by President Donald Trump that member states spend 5% of gross domestic product on defense. Trump has long questioned the value of NATO and complained that the U.S. provides security to European countries that don't contribute enough. Rutte plans to say in a speech at the Chatham House think tank in London that NATO needs thousands more armored vehicles and millions more artillery shells, as well as a 400% increase in air and missile defense. 'We see in Ukraine how Russia delivers terror from above, so we will strengthen the shield that protects our skies,' he plans to say. 'Wishful thinking will not keep us safe. We cannot dream away the danger. Hope is not a strategy. So NATO has to become a stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance.' European NATO members, led by the U.K. and France, have scrambled to coordinate their defense posture as Trump transforms American foreign policy, seemingly sidelining Europe as he looks to end the war in Ukraine. Last week the U.K. government said it would build new nuclear-powered attack submarines, prepare its army to fight a war in Europe and become 'a battle-ready, armor-clad nation.' The plans represent the most sweeping changes to British defenses since the collapse of the Soviet Union more than three decades ago.
Calgary Herald
14 hours ago
- Calgary Herald
Trump's patience with Putin leaves U.S. Senate sanctions push on hold
(Bloomberg) — President Donald Trump's suggestion that he may let Russia and Ukraine keep fighting has left US lawmakers in an awkward spot over their plan to force a ceasefire with 'bone-crushing' sanctions against Moscow. Article content The Senate bill has more than 80 co-sponsors, an all-but-unheard-of level of bipartisan support. Yet although that kind of veto-proof backing is enough for the Senate to press ahead without White House backing, supporters show no sign they're ready to challenge the president. Article content Article content Article content Trump's comments on Thursday — he said he hadn't even looked at the bill, but will do what he wants 'at the right time' — put the brakes on what had seemed to be an accelerating push to advance the proposal as soon as this month. Article content Article content Republican co-author Lindsey Graham, who said earlier in the week that he aimed to have the Senate plan in place by the Group of Seven leaders' summit to be held in Kananaskis, Alberta, June 15-17, seemed to ease off the gas in a tweet after Trump's comments. 'I have coordinated closely with the White House on this endeavor from day one,' he wrote. Article content Trump, however, has shown little interest in backing Graham's plan, and the White House has insisted that any decision on sanctions will be the president's alone. Instead, he's signaled he may walk away from efforts to force a settlement amid growing frustration with his inability to deliver the quick peace deal he promised on the campaign trail. Article content Article content Graham's Democrat co-author Richard Blumenthal said the pair are still working on changes to the bill to make it more acceptable to the White House. Article content European leaders, meanwhile, are pushing ahead with plans to impose more restrictions on Russian financial institutions and the shadow fleet of tankers Moscow uses to export its oil. Those limits have squeezed Russia's economy — but not President Vladimir Putin's resolve to continue fighting. Russia's war in Ukraine, conceived as a days- or weeks-long 'special military operation,' is well into its fourth year. Article content German Chancellor Friedrich Merz made the case for turning up the heat on Putin during an Oval Office meeting with Trump on Thursday, but came away sounding cautious.
Global News
20 hours ago
- Global News
Canada-Europe defence ties can link ‘club of countries,' says German envoy
If Canada decides to buy submarines from Germany, it would mean tightening ties with a 'club of countries' in Europe as it looks to meet NATO defence spending goals and face an uncertain world, Germany's ambassador says. Matthias Lüttenberg, Germany's ambassador to Canada, sat down with The West Block's Mercedes Stephenson in an interview airing on Sunday and emphasized the value of working more closely together. 'It's up to the Canadian government to decide which direction they want to go,' said Lüttenberg. 'The state of the art submarine that we are offering jointly with Norway, which is built in Germany, is a very good solution for Canadian security, especially when you look at the Arctic.' European countries are investing billions into their militaries and Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged that Canada will join the ReArm Europe initiative in the recent throne speech. Story continues below advertisement Germany and Norway have proposed partnering with Canada to procure new submarines — a project that would give Ottawa earlier access to the vessels and help it meet its NATO spending targets, which aim to get all members of the military alliance spending two per cent of their GDP on defence. Canada has long fallen short of that target, but is under renewed pressure to not only meet, but to exceed that target, as U.S. President Donald Trump pushes for more military spending. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Lüttenberg said buying into the submarine project would symbolize a broader partnership. 'It's not only about the submarine, it's also about entering this club of countries: Norway, Germany, potentially others in Europe are interested to be part of this maritime partnership because it brings much more benefit than just a submarine; because we can jointly innovate, we can develop, we can talk about maintenance, but really have another project which is ongoing with Canada,' he said. 'I think this is an interesting offer among the NATO allies.' 1:45 What will Canada's defence spending look like? Lüttenberg was asked about timelines specific to when Germany can reach its renewed defence spending targets. He said they already exceed the NATO two per cent mark and are aiming at upwards of three per cent in the coming years, and alluded to the potential for future acts of aggression by Russia. Story continues below advertisement '(Germany's) minister of defence has said he wants to see the German Army be war-ready by 2029. Not because we want to attack anybody, God forbid, but because we feel that we should be ready to counter any sort of Russian aggression against NATO territory by that time,' he said. With continued escalations in the war in Ukraine since Russia's 2022 invasion, Trump's efforts to broker a peace deal has appeared to lack progress since his inauguration. Strength in economies, be it in Canada or the European Union, will be important if nations hope to meet budget goals including for defence spending. The trade war sparked by Trump's tariff policies has been cited as one of the biggest risks to global economies including Canada's. Carney is looking to boost Canada's economy amid the trade war by working towards 'One Canadian Economy,' and has now tabled a bill to remove federally regulated interprovincial trade barriers. Canada has a goal to reach NATO's target of two per cent of GDP by as early as 2027, with this fiscal year tracking towards 1.37 per cent — compared to 1.31 per cent in fiscal 2024. Lüttenberg said Germany is planning to increase its defence spending by 0.2 per cent each year to reach 3.5 per cent of its total annual gross domestic product by 2032. Story continues below advertisement 'The two per cent aim to us for a long time seemed to be far away, and now we stand at 2.12 per cent. But we are committing very frankly, to the new target of 3.5 plus 1.5 in terms of additional infrastructure battalions, and expenses,' he said. 'We are supportive of this goal, which is shared by Mark Rutte as well, as NATO secretary general.'
