Ursula von der Leyen

Von Der Leyen Wants New Defense Tsar in Second EU Term

European Commission President Von der Leyen argue for creating a defense commissioner to lead a drive to rearm Europe if she wins a second term in office.

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EU Says Can’t Fill US Funding Gap Supporting Ukraine

The EU vowed steadfast support for Ukraine at a summit but warned leaders it would be unable to fill any funding gap left by the US.

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EU Targets Iran Drones, Russian Tech in New Ukraine Sanctions

The European Union proposed new sanctions on Russia that would cut off goods worth 11 billion euros and target Iran's drone producers.

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NATO, EU Vow More Support for Ukraine to Defend Itself

NATO and the EU vowed to bolster their backing for Ukraine to fight Russia and ramp up cooperation between Europe and the US-led alliance.

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NATO, EU Eye ‘Next Level’ Partnership in Face of Russia Threat

NATO and the EU are seeking to ramp up cooperation after Russia's invasion of Ukraine upended the European security order. 

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Eastern European defense ministers urge EU funds for military mobility program

The EU must provide funds to enable the faster movement of military forces across Europe, defense ministers from four eastern European nations said

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Merkel favorite AKK tapped for German defense minister

CDU party leader and Chancellor Angela Merkel's likely successor Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer will become the Germany's next defense minister

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France, Germany and Spain sign next-generation combat jet agreement

France, Germany and Spain unveiled the first concept models for the Future Combat Air System jet, an ambitious project aimed at bringing together EU military forces

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German parliament extends Africa military missions

The Bundestag extended German deployments to UN and EU missions in Mali and to the EU's Operation Atalanta anti-piracy mission until May 2020

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Germany pledges €110 million to boost NATO battalion infrastructure in Lithuania

Germany will invest €110 million (US$127 million) in military infrastructure in Lithuania until 2021, its defense minister said on a Monday, February 4 a visit to mark two years since NATO installed battalions in the Baltic region to ward off Russia. In 2017, NATO deployed four multinational battalions to Poland and the Baltic states as a counter against possible Russian action following its 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. Germany leads the NATO battalion in Lithuania comprising 1,200 troops from 10 countries. “We’re going to invest in the long-term engagement,” Ursula von der Leyen told reporters, adding that Berlin would invest in “common barracks and training fields” in Lithuania until 2021. Lithuania’s defense minister Raimundas Karoblis hailed Germany’s spending plans as evidence of commitment to the NATO deployment. “We have heard very officially, very clearly at the political level … that Germany is for the long run here and will stay here as long as the security situation will demand it,” Karoblis said. The other three NATO battalions deployed in 2017 are based in Estonia, Latvia and Poland and are led by the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States, respectively. The three Baltic states, with a combined population of …

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