5 h. ago EU spends more on Russian oil and gas than financial aid to Ukraine – report

Europe estimated to have bought €22bn of fossil fuels from Russia in 2024 but gave €19bn to support KyivThe EU is spending more money on Russian fossil fuels than on financial aid to Ukraine, a report marking the third anniversary of the invasion has found.The EU bought €21.9bn (£18.1bn) of Russian oil and gas in the third year of the war, according to estimates from the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (Crea), despite the efforts under way to kick the continent’s addiction to the fuels that fund Vladimir Putin’s war chest. Continue reading...

Economics

6 h. ago ‘No more excuses’: Europe under pressure on defence spending three years after Russian invasion

Continent is being told to take more responsibility for its own defence in light of US president’s overtures to PutinA few days after Vladimir Putin sent Russia’s invading forces into Ukraine in February 2022, the EU’s then foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, asked his staff for an urgent military aid plan. They came up with €50m (£41.4m) to help Ukraine.“And I said: ‘Are you crazy? We are talking about a war,’” Borrell recounted in late 2024, shortly before standing down. “Do you know what does it mean, a war? Put three zeros behind! And then we started taking things seriously.” Continue reading...

Events

69 h. ago UK ‘massively vulnerable’ to threat of Russia after decades of military cuts, ex

With Sir Keir Starmer under mounting pressure to boost the UK’s defence budget, General Sir Nick Carter said the UK’s ‘remarkably hollow’ Army would be unable to fend off Russia if it needed

Events

3 d. ago Pressure grows for Starmer to boost defence spending ahead of Trump showdown

PM travels to Washington next week as the only major UK party leader who has not backed calls to hike the defence budget to 2.5 per cent of Britain’s GDP by 2030

Politics

3 d. ago Labour MP calls for talks on 'CONSCRIPTION' for 'unengaged' young people because 'our borders are being threatened' amid Ukraine tensions

Paulette Hamilton, MP for Birmingham Erdington, warned the UK's 'borders are being threatened', adding: 'Young people have not engaged but they're going to have to.'

Events

4 d. ago Denmark to spend billions on defence, citing fears over Russian rearmament

Mette Frederiksen says situation is ‘most dangerous’ in many years as she increases defence budget to 3% of GDPMette Frederiksen admitted that Denmark and other countries made a mistake by cutting their defence spending as she announced a 50bn Danish kroner (£5.5bn) package, saying: “It must never happen again.”The Danish prime minister increased defence spending to 3% of GDP in the next two years – up from 2.4% in 2024 – as she said Denmark needed a “massive rearmament” to avoid war. Continue reading...

Economics

4 d. ago We must not jeopardise peace, Healey says after Trump blames Ukraine for war

The Defence Secretary urged allies to put ‘maximum pressure’ on Vladimir Putin.

Politics

6 d. ago Keir Starmer faces growing pressure to boost defence budget now to prepare British troops for Ukraine

The PM was warned that without hiking spending to at least 2.5 per cent of GDP within days, he risked failing to meet his promise that the UK will play a 'leading' role in keeping the peace in Ukraine.

Events

6 d. ago Meeting Ukraine peacekeeping pledge would require tax rises or spending cuts, Starmer warned

Meeting the pressures of an ageing population on the NHS while ramping up defence expenditure would be an ‘epochal challenge’, top economist warns

Events