Tag Archives: defence

New US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth arrived for his first meetings at NATO headquarters Wednesday looking to push European nations over support for Ukraine and ramping up military spending. Washington’s allies are waiting nervously for clarity from President Donald Trump’s administration after the volatile leader demanded NATO more than double its spending target and vowed to end the war …

EU leaders huddle Monday with Britain’s prime minister and the head of NATO to discuss efforts to boost Europe’s defences faced with an aggressive Russia — as Donald Trump demands America’s allies spend much more. The gathering in Brussels is billed as a “triple first”: the first time the European Union’s 27 leaders meet since the US president’s inauguration, their …

Sir Keir Starmer will urge European countries to commit more in defence spending as he heads to Brussels for security talks. The prime minister will call on Europe to “step up and shoulder more of the burden” to fend off the threat posed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia. Sir Keir, the first prime minister to meet all the leaders of the …

Pete Hegseth, the new US defence secretary, spoke with his British counterpart John Healey by phone on Friday in their first conversation since taking office, Sky News can reveal. Two sources confirmed the exchange had taken place. The British defence secretary congratulated his opposite number on his new role and expressed “deep condolences” over the fatal aircraft crash in Washington …

Pete Hegseth, Donald Trump’s controversial choice for US defence secretary, has been confirmed for the job. The 44-year-old ex-veteran and former Fox News host narrowly secured the top Pentagon post with vice president JD Vance casting the 51-50 tie-breaking vote. Three Republican senators – Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky – joined Democrats …

The EU’s top diplomat Kaja Kallas said Wednesday that the bloc must heed US President Donald Trump’s demand to spend more on defence, as she issued a stark warning over the threat from Russia. Kallas’s rallying cry was the latest in a slew of increasingly alarming warnings on defence from European officials, who have been calling for a “wake-up call” …

Poland’s prime minister has said he hopes for the “Breturn” of the UK as a member of the European Union – as he discussed a defence treaty with Sir Keir Starmer. Donald Tusk, who was hosting the prime minister for discussions on a UK-Polish defence pact in Warsaw, said it was his “dream” that “instead of a Brexit, we will …

Denmark has announced plans to boost its defence spending for Greenland with a “stronger presence in the Arctic” – a few hours after Donald Trump repeated his call for the US to buy the vast island. Danish defence minister Troels Lund Poulsen said the package would amount to a “double-digit billion amount” in krone, or at least $1.5bn (£1.2bn). He …

The former boss of Abercrombie & Fitch may have dementia and a competency hearing is needed to assess whether he can face sex charges, defence lawyers have said. Mike Jeffries, 80, who was chief executive of retailer Abercrombie & Fitch for more than two decades, pleaded not guilty in October to federal sex trafficking and interstate prostitution charges and is …