Πέμπτη 28 Μαΐου 2026
7 άρθρα
Pentagon pulls all submarines from NATO
The US has notified allies it will end submarine contributions to crisis plans and slash fighter jet commitments by one-third. While American troops remain on the continent, the withdrawal of formal reinforcement pledges through the NATO Force Model bypasses Congressional oversight. Washington is now pressuring European capitals to fill the technical gaps by June as the military focus shifts toward China.
Norway joins France's nuclear deterrence network
Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre signed the Narvik Agreement as a strategic hedge against the recent withdrawal of 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany. While France retains sole launch authority over its 290 warheads, the deal allows Norway to consult on doctrine and host nuclear-capable Rafale jets during crises. It marks a significant shift for a nation that has banned foreign nuclear weapons since 1957.
LKAB wins permit for Luleå rare earth park
A Swedish court has granted environmental approval for a critical minerals facility in Luleå, a pivotal move to reduce Europe's 95% dependence on Chinese rare earths. The project aims to extract minerals from century-old mining waste to power electric vehicle magnets and defense systems. While a demonstration plant launches this autumn, industrial-scale production will not begin until the 2030s.
Magyar signs symbolic deal for €10.4bn
Péter Magyar meets Ursula von der Leyen to sign a political agreement on unfreezing Hungary’s recovery funds, but the deal carries no legal weight. While the August 31 deadline for €10.4 billion looms, Budapest continues to reject core EU demands on pension and tax reforms. To move the money, officials are considering weakening oversight by routing funds through state-owned banks.
Germany slashes 2026 growth to 0.5%
The Council of Economic Experts reduced its outlook by 44% as the country enters a fourth year of stagnation. While Berlin created a €500 billion investment fund, researchers found that 95% of new debt simply filled existing budget gaps rather than funding infrastructure. Rising energy costs and a looming demographic crisis now threaten to push social contributions toward 50% of gross wages.
Baltic leaders demand NATO shoot-down powers
Following a Russian flight into Finnish airspace and a Romanian F-16 shoot-down over Estonia, Baltic presidents are pushing NATO to upgrade from air policing to a combat-ready air defense mission. While violations have tripled since 2024, the alliance remains split on whether incursions are deliberate aggression or electronic warfare drift, leaving local commanders without standing authority to engage threats before they crash.
Fitch July 31 review puts Romania at junk risk
Romania remains the only EU member with a 7.9% budget deficit and a contracting economy, leaving it vulnerable to a sovereign downgrade that would trigger billions in forced bond sales. With the government recently collapsed and central bank reserves falling by €2.3 billion in April, Fitch must decide if a leaderless administration can stabilize the leu and fix the bloc's largest VAT collection gap.