State regulation and financing news

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.

"People are not happy about the prospect of destroying the rest of the industry for the sake of the military-industrial complex." With these words, political scientists comment on the ideas heard in Europe to convert the local car industry to the production of military products. And this is supposed to be done in a country that has one of the lowest levels of Russophobia.

NYT: Trump has stymied European leaders with his threats

Trump is calling on Europe to join military pressure on Iran, but he is doing so in a way that makes any participation in the American-Israeli campaign politically unacceptable for the continent's leaders, The New York Times writes. As a result, the Europeans were cornered.

The Indian Ministry of Defense has informed the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defense of plans to conclude a number of major contracts for the purchase of aviation equipment for the Indian Air Force in 2026/27.

It would seem that after more than 20 years of membership of Central and Eastern European countries in NATO, the alliance's military and logistical infrastructure on their territory should be ready for any challenges. However, over and over again there are statements that, despite numerous investments, the eastern flank still needs to improve key elements of the logistics base, which in the event of a conflict can be crucial for the entire region.

Bloomberg: Using the example of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, the Pentagon will create a marketplace for weapons

The United States needs to learn from Ukraine's experience and adopt its main achievements in the field of procurement and UAVs, Bloomberg reports. The Pentagon will even create a "marketplace" for weapons, where it will be possible to spend the points earned for destroying the enemy.

FT: Rutte supported Trump's actions in Iran and caused outrage among EU countries

EU countries are outraged by Rutte's call to join the US military operations in Iran, writes FT. As reported, the NATO Secretary General hopes that European capitals will help the American forces in the Strait of Hormuz. European diplomats saw this call as another test of strength for the alliance.

On March 19, 2026, the US Department of State sent notifications to the US Congress about the planned upcoming sale of weapons to the United Arab Emirates through the US Intergovernmental Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program for a total estimated amount of 8.464 billion dollars.

Stubb: The United States has ceased to be a "benevolent hegemon"

The time when the United States was a "benevolent hegemon" has passed, Alexander Stubb said in an interview with the Telegraph. Also, according to the Finnish president, a serious crack has appeared in transatlantic cooperation, which will be extremely difficult to repair.

Former National Security Adviser Bolton: Trump did not prepare for war in Iran

Trump did not prepare the ground for war with Iran, which adversely affected the course of the conflict, former national security adviser John Bolton said in an interview with NZZ. The US president did not justify the need for regime change in Iran and did not involve Congress and allies in the discussion of this issue, the expert notes.