2 w. ago ANDREW NEIL: Labour's hollow drivel can't conceal that the defence of the realm is not safe in their hands

Donald Trump pulled off his second triumph of the week when Nato countries committed themselves to increases in defence spending

Politics

3 w. ago Trump hails ‘big win’ as Nato states agree to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP

US president appears relaxed and reaffirms commitment to military alliance – though Spain criticisedA relaxed Donald Trump said Nato’s decision to increase defence spending to 5% of GDP was a “big win” for western civilisation in a digressive press conference at a summit in The Hague where he reaffirmed the US’s commitment to the military alliance.There was every sign that the careful setup of the summit – in which most allies in Europe and Canada committed billions more on defence – had worked to keep Trump bound in to the alliance, with the US president praising Mark Rutte, its secretary general, and a night where he “slept beautiful” in the Dutch king’s palace. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump praises Nato leaders’ ‘historic’ agreement to hike defence spending

Prime minister Keir Starmer said this week’s Nato summit had sent a ‘decisive message to aggressors’ as allies ramped up their defence spending

Politics

3 w. ago Nato leaders confirm defence spending will rise to 5% of GDP and say support for members is ‘ironclad’ – Europe live

New defence spending target will be realised by 2035, Nato countries sayAsked about his commitment to Nato’s Article 5, Trump says:We are with them all the way. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump praises Nato states as summit prepares to lift defence spending target

‘Nato’s going to become very strong with us,’ says US president, as secretary general calls him ‘daddy’Europe live – latest updatesDonald Trump praised Nato countries for being willing to lift defence spending to 5% in his first public remarks at the military alliance’s annual summit, and said that he expected the US to be fully in support.The president was speaking at a preliminary press conference in The Hague that was dominated by his rejection of overnight reports that Iran’s nuclear sites were not destroyed in US bombing, and where he was also praised by the Nato chief, Mark Rutte, for being the “daddy”. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump confirms commitment to Article 5 at Nato summit and praises 5% defence spending pledges as ‘big news’ – Europe live

US president dismisses speculation about his commitment to Article 5 and celebrates defence spending pledges in EUAsked about his commitment to Nato’s Article 5, Trump says:We are with them all the way. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago UK to buy new fighter jets for RAF’s first nuclear role since Cold War

Ministers hailed the announcement as the ‘biggest strengthening of the UK’s nuclear posture in a generation’

Events

3 w. ago ‘Another big success’: Nato leader flatters Trump before The Hague summit

Mark Rutte is keen to ensure US president’s support and secure agreement among members on defence spendingIn The Hague, the Nato summit waits for Donald Trump – and no one more so than the alliance’s secretary general, Mark Rutte. “You are flying into another big success,” Rutte wrote in a text on Tuesday, one of several released shortly afterwards by a hyperactive Trump as he travelled across the Atlantic in Air Force One.The sycophantic messages from the Dutchman had compared Nato’s plan to dramatically increase defence spending to the US bombing of Iran’s nuclear sites over the weekend: “Congratulations and thank you for your decisive action in Iran, that was truly extraordinary, and something no one else dared to do.” Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Trump ‘flying into big success’ at Nato summit, claims Rutte who praises his ‘decisive action’ in Iran – Europe live

US president shares screenshot of congratulatory text message from Nato chief as he travels to summit in The HagueAnalysis: Summit set to be triumphant for Trump but deflating for UkraineWhittaker also says that he is expecting US president Donald Trump “might deliver some remarks” on his views on the summit, as he stresses that “we need to make sure that everyone’s investing in the common defence of the Alliance.”“I don’t want to sort of steal what he might say, nor do I claim to be able to read his mind and know what he’s going to say. But I think he has demonstrated through, again, decisive action leading to peace.”“And again, that’s good for Europe, because there’s been a lot of irregular flows of migrants through Europe, from the Middle East because of the instability. And so hopefully, with Syria now appearing to be stable, with Iran, maybe in check a little more than they had been, I think we could really see a generational moment here where the Middle East is more stable tha...

Politics

3 w. ago Starmer leaves door open for tax rises to fund rise in defence spending

IFS director Paul Johnson warned that the £30bn increase in defence spending would need to be funded by tax rises

Economics

3 w. ago Keir Starmer won't say where £30BILLION A YEAR of extra defence cash will come from as he joins Nato summit vowing to hit target for spending 3.5% of GDP

Keir Starmer insisted the government will say 'precisely' how it will fund the goal of spending 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence at a later stage.

Economics

3 w. ago Unthinkable Russia should outproduce us, Nato’s Rutte says, as summit waits for arrival of Trump – Europe live

Nato secretary general urges alliance to push for military investment before arrival of US president this eveningAnalysis: Summit set to be triumphant for Trump but deflating for UkraineWhittaker also says that he is expecting US president Donald Trump “might deliver some remarks” on his views on the summit, as he stresses that “we need to make sure that everyone’s investing in the common defence of the Alliance.”“I don’t want to sort of steal what he might say, nor do I claim to be able to read his mind and know what he’s going to say. But I think he has demonstrated through, again, decisive action leading to peace.”“And again, that’s good for Europe, because there’s been a lot of irregular flows of migrants through Europe, from the Middle East because of the instability. And so hopefully, with Syria now appearing to be stable, with Iran, maybe in check a little more than they had been, I think we could really see a generational moment here where the Middle East is more stable than...

Politics

3 w. ago ‘US is here to stay’, says Trump’s Nato representative, at ‘most consequential moment in alliance’s history’ – Europe live

US permanent representative to Nato says country ‘not going anywhere’ before Donald Trump visit to summitAnalysis: Summit set to be triumphant for Trump but deflating for UkraineWhittaker also says that he is expecting US president Donald Trump “might deliver some remarks” on his views on the summit, as he stresses that “we need to make sure that everyone’s investing in the common defence of the Alliance.”“I don’t want to sort of steal what he might say, nor do I claim to be able to read his mind and know what he’s going to say. But I think he has demonstrated through, again, decisive action leading to peace.”“And again, that’s good for Europe, because there’s been a lot of irregular flows of migrants through Europe, from the Middle East because of the instability. And so hopefully, with Syria now appearing to be stable, with Iran, maybe in check a little more than they had been, I think we could really see a generational moment here where the Middle East is more stable than it has ...

Politics

3 w. ago Keir Starmer heads for crucial Nato summit TODAY vowing to hit new target for spending 3.5% of GDP on defence... but ministers refuse to say where the extra £30BILLION is coming from

Keir Starmer will join fellow leaders from the military alliance in The Hague after signing up to the goal of spending 3.5 per cent of GDP on defence.

Politics

3 w. ago Zelenskyy warns Russia could attack a Nato member within five years as summit waits for Trump’s arrival – Europe live

Ukraine president urges leaders to increase defence spending more rapidly as Nato summit braces for Donald Trump to attendAnalysis: Summit set to be triumphant for Trump but deflating for UkraineKicking off the Nato Public Forum, Dutch justice and security minister David van Well says the organisers looked at some 40 scenarios that could disrupt the summit, including state actors, terrorists, activists, and cyber-attacks.I think you’re probably in one of the safest spaces in the world right now.“That could be sabotage, that’s one of the things that we’re looking into. And then the question is, well, who was behind it? That can be activist group, it can be state actor led, it can be any kind. “In my view, this is slow because we believe that starting from 2030 Putin can have significantly greater capabilities.Today, Ukraine is holding him up. He has no time to drill the army, and they are all getting annihilated and wiped out at the battlefield.” Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Nato members willingly increasing defence spending amid rising threat from Russia, says Rutte

Exclusive: As alliance members arrive at The Hague summit, secretary general says Moscow capable of launching attack within three to five yearsMark Rutte, Nato’s secretary general, said it was “not a difficult thing” to get members to agree to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP because of the rising threat from Russia – and stressed that Trump remained “absolutely” committed to supporting the alliance.In an interview on the eve of the western alliance’s summit, Rutte told the Guardian that all 32 members had agreed to increase defence spending because “there is so much at stake” after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Keir Starmer heads to Nato summit where he will vow to spend 5% of GDP on defence

Sir Keir Starmer's pledge to increase defence and security spending to 5 per cent of GDP by 2035 was last night branded 'a con'.

Politics

3 w. ago UK to spend 5% of GDP on security as wars rage in Europe and Middle East, says Starmer ahead of Nato summit

The Prime Minister stressed Britain has been plunged into an ‘era of radical uncertainty’ by growing threats

Events

3 w. ago Starmer to commit to spending 5% of GDP on defence by 2035 at Nato summit

The figure is in line with the demands of President Donald Trump, who has called for Nato allies to shoulder more of the burden of European defence.

Politics

3 w. ago Nato to unveil new 5% defence spending target this week, chief indicates

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is among the world leaders expected in The Hague in the Netherlands this week for the Nato summit.

Events