NATO chief to call for four-fold increase in Europe's air defense spending
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's comments are set to be among the strongest yet from the organization as it attempts to improve the continent's insufficient defenses against Russi a while also avoiding the political ire of President Donald Trump.
'The fact is, we need a quantum leap in our collective defense,' Rutte is expected to say in a speech to the London-based think tank Chatham House, in remarks released beforehand by the alliance. 'The fact is, we must have more forces and capabilities to implement our defense plans in full. The fact is, danger will not disappear even when the war in Ukraine ends.'
Trump's clear signaling that he would like to at least significantly reduce decades of American military support for Europe has sent its nations scrambling to beef up their own arms industries.
The American president's suggestion that NATO allies should up their minimum defense spend from 2% to 5% of GDP was once seen as outlandish; but last month Rutte too backed this idea and said he expected it to be adopted at NATO's June 24-25 summit.
On Monday he will make a similarly ambitious call, according to NATO's pre-released remarks. He will ask for a '400% increase in air and missile defense' and add that 'militaries also need thousands more armored vehicles and tanks, millions more artillery shells, and we must double our enabling capabilities, such as logistics, supply, transportation, and medical support.'
'Wishful thinking will not keep us safe,' he will say. 'We cannot dream away the danger. Hope is not a strategy. So NATO has to become a stronger, fairer and more lethal alliance.'
Rutte's comments would come against the backdrop of European powers vowing to spend more on their military budgets, having relied for decades upon America's protection first against the Soviet Union and now Putin's revanchist Kremlin.
NATO's constituents must also maintain a balancing act when it comes to Ukraine — which is not a member. Kyiv's allies want to support a neighbor it sees as a bulwark against Russian aggression, while keeping onside a White House increasingly sympathetic to Moscow's worldview.
Trump has previously described his 'very, very good relationship' with Putin, a man considered a pariah by former President Joe Biden and other Western leaders.
Many officials and analysts in Europe acknowledge that Trump is right to demand that wealthy nations such as Germany be able to look after themselves without Washington's help.
However many of these same commentators have expressed their horror at the tactics used by Trump, who has suggested that the United States would not protect underpaying allies, and openly inviting Russia to 'do whatever the hell' it wants to them.
That risks shattering the central premise of NATO: Article 5 of its founding charter — an 'all-for-one and one-for-all' mutual defense promise suggesting that if one ally is attacked, the rest would come to its aid.
The scenario the founders had in mind was that the U.S. would join the fight if Russia decided to launch an act of aggression against a smaller European country. In practice however, the only time it has been used in the real world was the other way round, when the alliance lent Washington symbolic defensive help after 9/11.
Previous American presidents have always seen this as a good trade off: America underwrites European security, and in return has a huge influence over political, diplomatic and even cultural happenings on the continent and beyond. The soft power return on investment was always seen as a profitable one.
However, Trump has repeatedly questioned this logic, not only undermining the promise behind Article 5 but using hostile language against those historically considered Western brethren.
The realization among European allies that Washington is no longer committed to its mutual defense has sparked a drive to push up defense budgets and revive the long-since dormant arms industry on the continent.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
8 minutes ago
- BBC News
Heathrow Airport's expansion plans to cost £49bn, plans reveal
Heathrow Airport has revealed details of its plan to expand and modernise the airport at a cost of £49bn. Thomas Woldbye, CEO of Heathrow Airport, said expansion was "urgent" as the airport was currently working at capacity, "to the detriment of trade and connectivity". The work would be funded by private government has backed plans for a third runway, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves saying it would "make Britain the world's best connected place to do business".However, the plans face opposition from environmental groups, politicians, and locals. London's mayor Sir Sadiq Khan said it would have a "severe impact on noise, air pollution and meeting our climate change targets". The plans come a day after the deadline set by the government for parties to submit plans, which it estimates would be completed within a decade, include:Creation of a third runway, called the "North-Western Runway", which would be up to 3,500m (11,500 ft) long. Heathrow bosses say this will increase capacity to 756,000 flights and 150m passengers a year - it currently serves about 84mA new terminal called T5X, expanding Terminal 2 and three new satellite terminals. It would close Terminal 3Enhancement of local rail connections, plus walking and cycling routesDiversion of the M25, which would involve a new road tunnel under the airport, and widening the motorway between junctions 14-15Creation of two new Heathrow parkways Improvements to Heathrow's bus and coach stationsHeathrow said it would cost £21bn to build the third runway, which includes procuring the land, changing the M25 and other associated infrastructure costs while building the new terminal would be £12bn and modernising the current airport's infrastructure £15bn. Due to rounding, it will total £49bn.A spokesperson added the plans would grow the UK economy by 0.43% GDP. 'Unlock billions' The plans revealed by Heathrow were welcomed by business groups and airline companies. A joint statement from the Confederation of British Industry, British Chambers of Commerce, MakeUK, Federation of Small Businesses and Institute of Directors, said it was "an investment in the nation's future".It added: "The benefits are clear: for exporters, it opens up vital access to major and emerging markets; for visitors, it enhances global and domestic connectivity; and for businesses, it unlocks billions in private investment, strengthening supply chains, creating jobs, and driving skills across the country."John Dickie, chief executive of BusinessLDN, said as the airport was currently operating at full capacity, the expansion would give businesses "better connectivity to overseas markets and support Britain's growth".He added it would also help achieve the government's target of 50 million international visitors per year to the UK. Environmental damage Mr Woldbye said Heathrow's submission was in line with the aviation industry's target to be net zero by 2050. He added that Heathrow was "the airport in the world with the highest uptake of Sustainable Aviation Fuel", and that planning permission would not be granted by government unless legal limits of emissions were adhered to. However, the plans were heavily criticised by groups who called the environmental justifications for the plans as "hopeful marketing spin". Dr Douglas Parr, policy director for Greenpeace UK, said the government had "decided yet again to prioritise more leisure opportunities for a comparatively small group of frequent fliers, whilst the rest of us have to live with the consequences of their disproportionate polluting".He suggested a "frequent flier levy", and said no expansion should take place until there was a solution to the "pollution problem". His concerns were echoed by politicians including Sir Sadiq who said he remained "unconvinced" that hundreds of thousands of additional flights each year would not have a "hugely detrimental" added City Hall would "carefully scrutinise" the impact the extension would have on people living in the area and the "huge knock-on effects for our transport infrastructure, which would require a comprehensive and costed plan to manage". A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: "Heathrow is already the single largest polluter in the UK, and the Climate Change Committee itself has said expansion would put the UK's climate goals at risk."It's also clear we can't rely on the silver bullet of Sustainable Aviation Fuels to save the day," they added. The Green Party deputy leader, Zack Polankski, said the plans were being delivered "regardless" of the environmental impact. "If Labour's environmental commitments were worth the paper they're written on, these proposals would never have seen the light of day," he residents living in Harmondsworth, near the airport, told the BBC earlier this year a third of the village would be destroyed if a third runway was to go ahead. Rival plans Heathrow's plans follow the publication of a rival proposal by the Arora Group, which has outlined a way to expand the airport without needing to redirect the M25. Owner of the group, hotel tycoon Surinder Arora, said the creation of a third runway and a new terminal, under his plans, had a cost estimate of under £25bn, not including the redevelopment of the airport's existing central proposal crucially does not involve an expensive alteration to the M25, as the group said it was possible to build a 2,800-metre (9,200 ft) third runway instead of the full-length 3,500-metre (11,500 ft) runway planned by the Group said its plan, called Heathrow West, could have a new runway fully operational by 2035, while a new terminal would open in two phases, in 2036 and 2040. Moving the M25 When asked about the added expense of altering the M25 to accommodate a new, third runway, Heathrow's CEO said: "The whole conversation about the M25 has been slightly exaggerated", and that disruption to drivers would be minimal. "We will build a new and much better M25, 100m (330 ft) to the west of the current one. It will be wider and it will be safer and it will have more capacity," Mr Woldbye added. He said plans to create a much shorter runway to avoid moving the M25 - like the one proposed by The Aurora Group - would "not provide the capacity that we and the airlines need", but said the airport would be open to a discussion with airlines about building a shorter runway if it could deliver the same benefits. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said the two proposals were a "significant step towards unlocking growth, creating jobs, and delivering vital national infrastructure"."We'll consider the proposals carefully over the summer so that we can begin a review of the Airports National Policy Statement later this year," she added. 'Half the battle' BBC London's political editor Karl Mercer said: "History has not been kind to plans to build a third runway, whoever has put them forward, and whichever colour government is in power."Gordon Brown's Labour government supported Heathrow expansion in 2009 - that didn't happen. "Then during Conservative Theresa May's reign in 2018, MPs voted overwhelmingly in support of a third runway - only for a series of court challenges and then Covid to put an end to those plans. "There are plenty of Labour MPs in the capital who are still strongly opposed to expansion - 28 voted against it last time and most are still in the House. "Having bidders interested is only half the battle - the hardest half will be getting it delivered."
Sky News
15 minutes ago
- Sky News
US officials to make 'highly unusual' visit to Gaza - amid warnings of 'politically manmade' famine
Two senior US officials will visit Gaza later today, amid growing concerns about the scale of the humanitarian crisis. Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff and US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will inspect a food distribution site - and report back to the president immediately. Our US correspondent David Blevins says the visit "is not unprecedented but is highly unusual ... due to obvious security concerns and political sensitivities". He added: "I think it reflects the growing concern there is here in the United States about the scale of the humanitarian catastrophe." Aid workers on the ground have warned that a "politically manmade famine" is taking place in the territory. Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees, told The World With Yalda Hakim that "more and more people will continue to die" unless there is urgent change. Donald Trump has expressed frustration at the lack of aid reaching Palestinians and has repeatedly blamed Hamas - but US government analysis has found no evidence that the militant group is systemically stealing supplies. He told reporters yesterday: "It's terrible what's occurring there. People are very hungry, you know. "The United States gave $60m ... for food. And, it's a shame because ... I don't see the results of it. Part of the problem is Hamas is taking the money and they're taking the food." 8:07 On Thursday, Mr Witkoff arrived in Israel and held discussions with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu - the first meeting between the pair since both Israel and the US withdrew their negotiating teams from Qatar a week ago. At the time, he claimed that Hamas "shows a lack of desire" to reach a truce. Under heavy international pressure, Israel has paused fighting in parts of Gaza and airdropped food - although the volume of supplies remains far lower than what aid organisations say is needed. While more aid trucks have entered Gaza, nearly all the lorries are stripped of their cargo by crowds of Palestinians desperate for food, or looted by armed gangs. The alternative food distribution system run by the Israeli-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has also been marred by violence. Doctor Tom Adamkiewicz, a paediatrician working at Nasser Hospital in Gaza, told Sky News that the majority of the hospital's patients have signs of malnutrition - and "many children are passing out literally during the day and injuring themselves". 3:41 Separately, German foreign minister Johann Wadephul also arrived in Israel on Thursday on a two-day trip that will also take him to the occupied West Bank. Germany, traditionally a staunch ally of Israel, has been increasingly critical. Mr Wadephul warned that Israel is "increasingly finding itself in a minority position". But he stopped short of moving towards recognising a Palestinian state, something his allies France, the UK and Canada have vowed to do in September if certain conditions are met. Meanwhile, Sweden's prime minister has called on the EU to "freeze" its trade agreement with Israel - with Ulf Kristersson describing the situation in Gaza as "utterly deplorable". After visiting Gaza, Mr Witkoff will travel to Russia. He has held extensive talks in Moscow with Vladimir Putin in the past. The US president has given his Russian counterpart until 8 August to reach a deal to halt the fighting in Ukraine, or else he will impose economic sanctions.
Leader Live
37 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Fears over bioethanol plant ‘putting £1.25 billion jet fuel project in jeopardy'
Crisis talk are ongoing to save Vivergo Fuels, near Hull, following the decision to end the 19% tariff on United States bioethanol imports as part of the recent UK-US trade deal. On Friday, Meld Energy said the situation is putting its plans for a 'world-class' green jet fuel project on the Humber in jeopardy. Earlier this year, Meld Energy signed a £1.25 billion agreement with Vivergo Fuels to anchor a Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) facility at Saltend Chemicals Park in Hull. Meld Energy CEO and founder Chris Smith said: 'We're excited about the potential to bring our sustainable aviation fuel project to the Humber – one of the UK's most important industrial and energy hubs. 'But, for projects like ours to succeed and the flow of vital investment to be forthcoming, we need a strong and integrated low-carbon ecosystem. 'A bioethanol plant on site at Saltend is a critical part of that mix. Without it, we'd have to consider alternative locations overseas where that infrastructure is already in place.' Mr Smith was speaking as the Vivergo plant was expecting its last scheduled wheat delivery from a farm in Lincolnshire on Friday, as the site continues to wind down. Vivergo Fuels managing director Ben Hackett wrote to wheat growers earlier this year explaining that the plant will only be able to honour existing contractual obligations for wheat purchases while uncertainty continues. Mr Hackett said: 'Building a future fuels cluster here in Hull would deliver major economic, environmental and strategic benefits not just for the Humber, but for the whole country. 'We have the site, the skills, the supply chain and the ambition to lead the way on sustainable aviation fuel. 'But, without urgent Government support for British bioethanol, the UK risks losing that opportunity, along with the jobs and billions of pounds in investment that depend on it.' Last month, the firm, which is owned by Associated British Foods (ABF), said it is was beginning consultation with staff to wind down the plant, which employs more than 160 people, due to the uncertain situation – a process which could see production stop before September 13, if support is not provided. It said Britain's two largest bioethanol producers – Vivergo Fuels and Ensus in Teesside – are now in urgent negotiations with the Government. The firms say the UK-US trade deal and regulatory constraints on the industry have made it impossible to compete with heavily subsidised American products. A Government spokesperson said: 'We recognise this is a concerning time for workers and their families which is why we entered into formal discussions with the company on potential financial support last month. 'We will continue to take proactive steps to address the long-standing challenges the company faces and remain committed to working closely with them throughout this period to present a plan for a way forward that protects supply chains, jobs and livelihoods.' The Government said officials and ministers have met with Vivergo and Ensus consistently over the last few months to discuss options to address 'significant challenges' that the bioethanol industry has been facing for some time. It said engagement with the companies 'continues at pace' and external consultants have been brought in to help.
