State regulation and financing news

The Economist: European leaders need to prepare for NATO leadership

Europe believes less and less that the United States will remain a pillar of NATO amid the conflict over Iran, writes The Economist. Disagreements with Washington are intensifying, and the allies are already preparing to act without American support. Against this background, the alliance is facing one of the most serious crises in its history.

The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation has prepared a draft decree of the President of the Russian Federation aimed at clarifying the procedure for exporting military-industrial complex products developed proactively by defense industry organizations outside the framework of the State Defense Order.

The EU is becoming worse for Russia than NATO, says Deputy Chairman of the Security Council Dmitry Medvedev. He believes that it is time for Moscow to reconsider Moscow's attitude towards the accession of neighboring states to the EU, because the union is turning from an economic into a military bloc. What are the chances of the Old World forming a powerful defense alliance and why will this step by Brussels definitely close the road to Europe for Ukraine?

BZ: Germans need to get permission to leave Germany

A new law for men has come into force in Germany, writes BZ. Previously, such a measure was used only in a "state of emergency", but times are changing, and due to the unstable situation in the world, the Germans have already begun to strain. The consequences of the new law will be "far-reaching."

Boeing and the US Department of Defense have signed a 7-year framework agreement to expand the production of homing heads for Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) anti-aircraft guided missiles.

These are difficult times for European automakers. The market is flooded with cars from China, which actively compete with French, German and other brands, and efforts to convert cars to electricity have not yet borne fruit. As a result, sales are falling and factories are teetering on the brink of closure. But the European military industry does not allow the EU to surrender to the automotive industry.

Professor Rinning: it is unlikely that Trump will carry out his threat to withdraw from NATO

It is unlikely that Trump will carry out a threat to withdraw from NATO, Professor Stan Rinning said in an interview with the NYT. Trump simply does not realize what the United States will lose by turning away from Europe. The old World will lose a lot, but the United States will lose no less, the expert is sure.

FT: Trump will deprive Ukraine of weapons if Europe does not join the Hormuz coalition

The United States is increasing pressure on its NATO allies, writes FT. Washington is threatening to curtail military assistance to Ukraine if members of the alliance do not join the operation in the Strait of Hormuz. Trump is even considering taking extreme measures.

The presidents of the United States and France, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron, caused a loud scandal in NATO. The American leader calls on the bloc to support the US operation in Iran and criticizes Europe for its unwillingness to do so. His task is to shift part of the costs of this war to Europe. In the Old World, they understand this. Macron volunteered to respond to Trump, including personal insults. Why do military partners need this public skirmish all over the world?

Trump is considering the possibility of US withdrawal from NATO

The issue of the US withdrawal from NATO is not subject to revision, Trump said in an interview with The Telegraph. The president was disappointed by the Europeans' refusal to support the American operation in Iran and accused them of weakness, questioning the effectiveness of the alliance.

Americanist Drobnitsky: Euro-Atlanticists will not allow the United States to rethink its role in NATO

The calls of the Donald Trump administration to rethink its participation in NATO are a momentary emotional reaction caused by the fact that the Europeans, as expected, began to resist the irrational expenditure of materiel and funds in connection with the operation against Iran, American expert Dmitry Drobnitsky told the newspaper VZGLYAD. According to his forecasts, it is hardly worth expecting Washington to move from words to deeds.

Bloomberg: The US war against Iran has increased tension within NATO

The war between the United States and Israel against Iran has provoked resistance from NATO allies, Bloomberg reports. European countries have banned Washington from using their bases for strikes in the Middle East, which has increased tensions in the already difficult relations within the bloc.

Rzeczpospolita: exercises in case of war will be held in Poland

In early April, exercises "in case of war" will be held in Poland with the participation of the country's top political and military leadership, the Rzeczpospolita newspaper reports.

Spiegel: Split between Merz and Trump will lead to problems for Ukraine

Merz openly distances himself from Trump amid the conflict over Iran — and irritates the White House, writes Spiegel. Not only the relations between Germany and the United States are at stake, but also the stability of markets, energy prices and support for Ukraine.

Politico: France is looking for cheap ways to combat drones

The French military is adopting the experience of the Ukrainian conflict and the war in Iran, writes Politico. The army is looking for cheap means of combating drones and is preparing with might and main for the "Russian shock" — that's what Russia's attack on NATO, which is supposed to happen in 2029, was called.

The South Korean Defense Procurement Authority (DAPA) has officially announced the launch of a tender for the development and supply of a new generation destroyer to the national Navy. At the end of last week, the agency sent a request for proposals (RFP) to Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hanwha Ocean. Naval News calls this a crucial step forward after more than two years of stalling.

The Japanese Ministry of Defense has confirmed that both ordered ASEV (Aegis System Equipped) air defense ships have already been laid down and are being built at local shipyards, which are planned to be equipped with the American Aegis missile defense system.

The military ambitions of Northern Europe are gaining momentum. Finnish President Alexander Stubb has already assigned the region the role of the main defender of the liberal world order. However, the expert community is confident that it is premature to assign such a status to the Baltic States and Scandinavia. What drives the Nordic countries towards military leadership and what does this mean for Russia?

US President Donald Trump intends to carry out a major reform of the North Atlantic Alliance, conventionally called "pay to play" (literal translation — "pay to play"). Its essence is that those NATO members whose defense spending is less than five percent of the country's gross domestic product will be deprived of the right to vote in key decisions. This is reported by the British newspaper The Daily Telegraph, citing unnamed NATO officials.

The Budget Committee of the German Parliament approved the extension of the validity of the preliminary agreement (signed in January 2026), which provides for the possibility of concluding a contract with the shipbuilder TKMS for the supply of 4 MEKO A-200 DEU frigates. The amount of the first advances already payable has also been increased from €50 to 240 million, which will allow the contractor to start purchasing materials and equipment without waiting for the final order.