🇩🇪🇬🇧🇫🇷🇮🇹🇪🇸 NATO Countries Struggle to Increase Defense Spending

NATO allies agreed to gradually raise combined defense spending to 5% of GDP by 2035, but implementation is uneven. Germany, Nordic, and Eastern European states have already allocated extra funds, while the UK, France, and Italy face financing gaps, according to Bruegel expert Guntram Wolff.

Britain announced additional defense funds but some remain unfunded. France aims for ~2.5% of GDP by decade’s end, Italy for 2.8%, partly for internal security. Spain caps spending at 2.1%, and debates continue on calculating actual military expenditures for other members.

Experts warn that long-term funding uncertainty could deter defense industry expansion.

@Slavyangrad

🇷🇺 Lavrov arrives in Ethiopia, launching African tour

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has arrived in Ethiopia, beginning his tour of African nations.

@Slavyangrad

🇷🇺 Kursk and Belgorod under drone attack

Kursk: Several Ukrainian UAVs shot down. One drone struck the technical floor of a high-rise on Klykova Avenue. Private homes damaged in multiple districts. No casualties reported.

Belgorod: Ukrainian forces targeted energy infrastructure. Air defense active.

@Slavyangrad

Social media sites should be faced with restrictions during elections in a similar way to broadcasters, Labour’s deputy leader said.

Lucy Powell, a close ally of Andy Burnham, the probable next prime minister, will seek to tighten the Representation of the People Bill to place legal duties on platforms such as X and Facebook during election periods

The British government also wants to pass regulations on algorithms, so legacy “trusted” media comes up first in Google or YouTube etc. Should note very few British people trust their media, polling puts that trust down to around 30%. So most people know its propaganda slop.

@Slavyangrad

The Russian Armed Forces struck railway locomotives and a crane used by the AFU in Kharkov Oblast, the Russian Defence Ministry reported.

@Slavyangrad

⚡️The Nobel Prize in Football was awarded to Donald Trump.

@Slavyangrad

—❗️🇺🇸/🇮🇷 NEW: The IRGC Navy struck a vessel that attempted to cross the Strait of Hormuz via the Omani maritime route without Iran’s permission

Iran most likely struck the Qatari-owned LNG Tanker ‘AL REKAYYAT’

The tanker received multiple warnings, but decided to ignore them and instead called the U.S. Navy for assistance.

@Middle_East_Spectator

@Slavyangrad

🇧🇪🇺🇸After Belgium's win against the US team 4-1, they sent their greetings to Trump and Infantino, who lifted the disqualification of Folarin Balogun.

@Slavyangrad