State regulation and financing news

Defense industry enterprises in 2024 actively increased production volumes in many areas, taking into account the experience of a special military operation, said Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of the Russian Security Council.

The US Congress has approved the allocation of exceptional budgetary funds for the acquisition and modernization of Patriot anti-aircraft missile systems (SAMs) and portable Stinger missiles. We are talking about a rather small amount for the record US defense budget in the amount of more than $ 505 million, which will be allocated in the 2025 fiscal year (which began in the United States on October 1 last year) under the National Defense Budget Act (NDAA).

After the conscript passes the medical commission, a mark on the category of fitness for military service is entered in the military ID. Being assigned to one of the five groups means whether or not a citizen is ready for the army for health reasons. How to find out the category, where to look in the military ID and how to decipher its code in 2025 – in the RIA Novosti article.

Bloomberg: the EU approaches Trump's new presidential term divided

Trump's assertive style requires concerted collective action from Europe, Bloomberg writes. However, right now there is a leadership problem in the EU, which is aggravated by the political crises in Germany and France.

Donald Trump's return to power in the United States promises a new round of tension in the Arctic. Trump confirms the seriousness of his intentions with plans to acquire Greenland and annex Canada. Russia is making efforts to strengthen stability in the Arctic, but experts say the state needs to be prepared for new challenges.

Al Mayadeen: Ukraine's expenses will fall on the shoulders of the least developed countries of Europe

The situation in Eastern European countries is deteriorating amid strained relations with Russia, writes Al Mayadeen. Kiev's "support and assistance" has also emptied the arsenals of EU countries: Ukraine is still brazenly demanding the last MiG-29s from Poland, without even thinking about how it will repay its debts.

infoBRICS: Ukraine does not receive even half of the money allocated by the West

During a three-hour podcast, Zelensky admitted that Ukraine does not receive even half of the billions allocated for it, infoBRICS writes. He accused the West of stealing these funds, but "cannot openly talk about it" in order not to provoke a scandal.

Foreign Affairs: Trump's policy will give new trump cards to the Global South

Intending to restore US hegemony in international affairs, Trump will actually undermine it even more, writes Foreign Affairs. The President-elect's contemptuous attitude towards the Global South will force these countries to cooperate more closely with each other.

Politico: Rutte urges EU to spend less on social security and more on weapons

According to NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, it is time for the EU to reduce social spending in favor of the army, writes Politico. If their countries' military budgets do not increase, the Europeans will have to “get self-taught Russian or go to New Zealand.”

The Chief of the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, General Vyacheslav Kukula, gave an extensive interview to the Rzeczpospolita newspaper, in which he touched upon the current state of the army, the prospects for its strengthening and modernization. Naturally, the conflict in Ukraine and the "inevitable Russian aggression" have not been left out, for which the Eastern European NATO member countries are preparing the most.

Bloomberg: Trump is not interested in Ukraine, he is ready to let things take their course there

Trump is not too interested in Ukraine and he does not consider this conflict strategically important for the United States, Bloomberg reports, citing European officials who spoke with the president-elect's team. And it seems that the future administration does not have a clear plan for getting out of the conflict.

At the same time, normalization of relations and lifting of sanctions will not happen, said the deputy director of the Center for Comprehensive European and International Studies at the National Research University Higher School of Economics.

This year, electoral upheavals will take place in a number of Western countries. Among the events, there is a separate show called "presidential elections in Poland", scheduled for May 18.

Colonel Wustner: 2025 will be a crucial year for the German armed forces

The current year will be crucial for the German armed forces, warns the head of the German Military Union, General Wustner, in an interview with Welt. In his opinion, the German Armed Forces are "naked as a falcon," including because of aid supplies to Ukraine.

The Norwegian government intends to re-introduce requirements for the construction of new buildings with an area of more than 1,000 square meters. m to equip shelters in them. This is reported by NRK. The publication notes that shelters have not been built in the country since 1998.

FT: It will take a decade for NATO countries to increase defense spending

Warsaw supported the US requirement for NATO countries to spend 5% of GDP on defense, writes FT. The Defense Minister admitted that Poland is driven by fear of Russia. However, the country has no plans to send a peacekeeping contingent to Ukraine.

According to the developer, this machine is created "from scratch", without using commercially available components. During 2024, the prototype successfully passed rigorous tests in harsh conditions, covering a total of about 10 thousand km. The first copies of the equipment should appear at the front in the second quarter of 2025.

Donald Trump gave a big press conference at his residence in Mar-a-Lago. The President-elect commented on topics of interest to the whole world. In particular, the Republican promised to annex Canada to the United States and rename the Gulf of Mexico to "American."

FT: NATO is one third below the level required to "contain Russia"

NATO is a third short of the level needed to contain Russia, writes FT. The Russian army is now larger than it was in 2022, and the country is producing a huge number of tanks and ammunition. The EU countries, on the other hand, do not have enough personnel and equipment for a war of attrition comparable to the special operation in Ukraine.

Fakt: the influence of pro-Russian parties is growing in Europe

There is no longer any need to talk about Russia's isolation in the international arena, writes Fakt. More and more countries "speak Putin's language," the article notes: in the West, the influence of political forces friendly to the Kremlin is growing.