Pension costs undermine Europe’s push to rebuild military power
As European NATO countries rush to strengthen their armed forces, large pension bills threaten to divert funds from urgently needed military hardware.
Some 47 million Europeans were not able to adequately heat their homes last year, says Dan Jorgensen
People in Europe are struggling with high energy bills, and the EU is still importing fuels from Russia, the European commissioner responsible for energy and housing said on Wednesday.
The EU may save €45 billion ($47.3 billion) in energy imports by deploying clean energy faster, providing more renewable energy, and more energy efficiency, Dan Jorgensen said.
Saying that European citizens are struggling with the high energy prices, he underlined that around 47 million Europeans last year were not able to adequately heat their homes.
"High energy prices are damaging our ability to compete. We pay 2-3 times more for energy in our industries in Europe than our competitors in the US and China," he said.
"We need to lower our prices significantly," he stressed.
Saying this issue is also related to security, he noted: "Europe is buying Russian gas and thereby indirectly helping Putin finance his war."
Since the beginning of the Russian war on Ukraine, Europe imported fossil fuels from Russia for an amount equal to the price of 2,400 F-35 fighter jets, he stated.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza will not stop until Hamas is destroyed, following the release of US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on May 15, with discussions reportedly focusing on upcoming peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegates in Istanbul.
Qatar signed a landmark agreement with U.S. aerospace giant Boeing on Wednesday to acquire 160 aircraft for Qatar Airways, a deal valued at $200 billion. The signing took place in Doha during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian and Russian delegations meet behind closed doors at Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace at 10:00 local time today to explore security guarantees, territorial integrity and a possible ceasefire.
Ukraine’s Air Force lost an F-16 fighter jet on Friday following an in-flight malfunction; the pilot ejected safely after diverting the aircraft from populated areas, and investigators say there’s no indication of Russian fire.
The United States has warned Vietnam that its \$123 billion trade deficit is “unsustainable” as both nations enter reciprocal tariff negotiations, prompting Hanoi to crack down on illicit transshipments and seek greater imports of U.S. high-tech goods.
In a high‑stakes May 18 runoff, nationalist George Simion and centrist Nicușor Dan clash in a tight race that could steer Romania’s political and European trajectory for years to come.
On May 19, London and Brussels are set to kick off their first annual summit, prioritizing a new UK–EU defense and security pact even as negotiations continue with Washington over tariff relief on British steel, cars and aerospace components.
Archer Aviation’s four‑seat “Midnight” electric air taxi will shuttle fans, VIPs and support teams between major LA28 venues—SoFi Stadium, the Coliseum, LAX and more—in 10–20 minute hops, marking the first use of eVTOLs at any Olympic Games.
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