European countries are struggling to meet their defense spending targets set by NATO, with some nations such as Germany and France facing challenges in increasing their budgets due to political uncertainty. The Czech Republic has announced it will reach the target of 2 percent for the first time, while Norway recently achieved 2.1 percent. Other countries like Italy and Spain are significantly below the target. German foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner has expressed skepticism about the US's demand for a significant increase in defense spending, citing the need for parliamentary approval. The US, despite not having the highest percentage of GDP spent on defense, carries a large share of the burden due to its economy size.
https://www.politico.eu/article/donald-trump-tells-allies-spend-5-percent-gdp-defense-nato/EU foreign ministers Annalena Baerbock, Jean-Noël Barrot and Radosław Sikorski may be joined by EU Commission President Kaja Kallas in discussions with US officials, including the Trump administration. The EU is open to cooperation but cautious about potential trade restrictions or actions like the annexation of Greenland, a Danish territory within NATO.
https://www.politico.eu/article/france-germany-poland-plan-show-unity-trip-us-after-donald-trumps-inauguration-foreign-ministers/The Philippines' current strategy of allying with the US against China is seen as a risk that could lead to devastating consequences, including escalating tensions between superpowers. The country's approach is compared to Ukraine's entry into NATO, which has heightened conflict with Russia. A proposed alternative strategy involves building alliances with non-nuclear neighbors not in rivalry with China, aiming to promote world peace and avoid fueling an arms race in Asia.
https://www.manilatimes.net/2025/01/09/opinion/columns/how-to-defend-our-nation-and-keep-asias-peace/2033342The UK government has announced that thousands of British military personnel will be deployed to Europe over the next two months to participate in a significant NATO exercise. The deployment is part of a larger effort by NATO to demonstrate its collective defense capabilities and deter potential threats. According to information from the UK government's website, this move reflects the country's commitment to maintaining regional security and stability through cooperation with other member states.
https://www.actmedia.eu/daily/thousands-of-british-troops-to-lead-major-nato-exercise-in-eastern-europe/111970Outgoing US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has downplayed President-elect Donald Trump's comments on acquiring Greenland, a semiautonomous territory of Denmark. Blinken stated that the idea is unlikely to come to fruition and advised against wasting time discussing it. This stance was echoed by France's foreign minister Jean-Noël Barrot, who also dismissed the possibility of US military action against Denmark, a NATO ally.
https://apnews.com/article/france-blinken-denmark-trump-greenland-7551d0f9de852c2a1751d908c4b2b328Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen stated that Denmark is open to discussing cooperation with the US to ensure American interests in the Arctic are met. This comes after US President-elect Donald Trump refused to rule out military action to take control of Greenland, a Danish territory. The Danish government believes the US and NATO have legitimate interests in the region due to increased great power rivalry from Russia and China's growing interest in the area. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has expressed skepticism that Trump's pursuit of Greenland would involve military force.
https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/denmark-open-to-dialogue-with-us-over-arctic-interests-7429987Mexico has called for a full investigation into the use of tear gas by US authorities at the border, while lawyers are warning that disruptions to the H-1B visa scheme could lead to legal stalemates. Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has expressed sympathy with Russia's opposition to Ukraine joining NATO, and has suggested renaming the Gulf of Mexico as the "Gulf of America". Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rejected this idea, saying it was a "beautiful name" but not a serious proposal. In other news, a judge has rebuffed Trump's request to postpone sentencing in a case related to hush money payments.
https://www.trtworld.com/us-and-canada/mexican-america-mexico-rebukes-trump-suggests-renaming-north-america-18251753NATO is set to deploy around 10 ships to the Baltic Sea by the end of the week to protect key underwater infrastructure from sabotage attempts. The move follows a series of disruptions in the region, including a broken power cable between Finland and Estonia and four telecommunications cables during Christmas. A criminal investigation into an oil tanker suspected of causing some of the damage is currently underway in Finland. In response to the incidents, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has promised to enhance military presence in the Baltic Sea.
https://www.politico.eu/article/nato-fleet-guard-baltic-sea-cables-finnish-ships-russia-moscow-estonia-mark-rutte/The Romanian government has approved a new project in the arms manufacturing sector, worth approximately 410 million RON, which aims to modernise the Cugir Mechanical Plant. The investment will be financed from the state budget and is expected to take 36 months to complete. The project's goal is to increase production capacity and diversify the range of NATO ammunition produced at the plant, leading to improved operational efficiency, quality standardization, and enhanced safety and flexibility in production. This move supports Romania's defence industry sector, which is a strategically important segment of its economy, as it aims to meet the country's own needs and honour its obligations as a NATO member.
https://www.actmedia.eu/companies/modernisation-of-cugir-mechanical-plant-aimed-at-increasing-production-and-diversifying-nato-ammunition/111968