European Union ambassadors have agreed on a major new defence initiative- an arms fund worth €150 billion to strengthen Europe’s military capabilities.
The fund, proposed by the European Commission in March, is a response to growing fears about Russia and uncertainty over whether the U.S., under President Trump, would continue to protect Europe.
Over the past three years, EU countries have already boosted defence spending by more than 30%, but leaders say more action is needed. The new programme, called Security Action for Europe (SAFE), will support collaborative defence projects across the EU and promote European-made weapons and technologies. To qualify for funding, at least 65% of a project's value must come from companies within the EU, the European Economic Area, or Ukraine.
Countries with Security and Defence Partnership agreements with the EU, such as the UK (which signed an agreement this week), may also qualify under additional conditions. This move opens the door for UK firms like BAE Systems to participate in SAFE-funded projects.
The Commission fast-tracked the legislation, skipping European Parliament approval and requiring only unanimous consent from all 27 EU countries. That consent was secured on Wednesday, with final ministerial approval expected on May 27.
European Council President Antonio Costa praised the decision, calling it a key step toward a more secure and united Europe.
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Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz has increased the strategic importance of Bab al-Mandab, raising fears that instability in both waterways could trigger a wider global energy and trade crisis.
Flights at Catania airport in Sicily will remain suspended until early Friday as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt air travel, following hundreds of cancellations and diversions over the past week.
Iran says the Strait of Hormuz remains under its control, rejecting U.S. President Donald Trump’s claim of “total control” over the strategic waterway and insisting it will not reopen until Washington fulfils its commitments under an interim deal.
Iran and the United States remain at loggerheads over efforts to agree a permanent end to the war in the Gulf, according to a senior Iranian source who said there had been no progress in talks to revive the interim deal agreed in June and define a timeframe to implement it.
Russia has accused Ukraine of threatening global grain supplies after recent strikes on Black Sea agricultural infrastructure, while Moscow carried out a new overnight attack on Ukraine’s major Danube port of Izmail.
One person has been killed and six others injured after an explosion at a petroleum storage facility at the Port of Rotterdam, prompting an investigation into the cause.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Wednesday for talks focused on Gaza, Palestinian statehood and regional security.
Taiwan staged military defence drills on Wednesday as China concluded joint naval exercises with Indonesia in waters east of the island.
Washington’s counter-narcotics push is expanding as Colombia’s new conservative government backs deeper security cooperation.
Meta said it had removed more than 750,000 Facebook and Instagram accounts suspected of belonging to Australians under 16, as the country’s internet regulator weighs enforcement action over its teen social media ban.
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