World leaders convened in the Netherlands on Tuesday for a pivotal two-day NATO summit that could see member states agree to a historic rise in defence spending—or expose sharp divisions within the 32-member alliance.
The proposed increase, a sharp jump from the current 2% guideline, is intended to ensure NATO’s readiness to counter external threats, particularly in the wake of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, now entering its fourth year.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte acknowledged the importance of the spending debate but stressed that Ukraine remains at the heart of the alliance’s agenda. “The war in Ukraine continues to shape the security landscape of Europe and demands our unwavering support,” Rutte said ahead of closed-door meetings.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in The Hague to attend bilateral talks and address the Dutch parliament, although he is not participating in the official leaders’ session focused on the spending target. Zelenskyy is expected to lobby for continued military and economic support.
The summit comes one year after the Washington gathering, where NATO reaffirmed its long-term commitment to Ukraine and its eventual membership. However, divisions persist over timelines and terms for enlargement, as well as over how much each member should contribute financially.
In a joint op-ed published in the Financial Times on the eve of the summit, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed firm support for US-led peace efforts, underlining their commitment to Ukraine’s sovereignty.
“For as long as the current trajectory lasts, Russia will find in France and Germany an unshakeable determination. What is at stake will determine European stability for the decades to come,” they wrote.
The summit will continue Wednesday, with final decisions expected on the defence spending pledge and an updated strategy on NATO’s eastern flank.
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President Ilham Aliyev met President of the United Arab Emirates Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi on Monday, where the two leaders reaffirmed that Azerbaijan–UAE ties are built on a strategic partnership.
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are expected to meet in Istanbul on Friday for renewed discussions on Iran’s nuclear programme, according to reporting by Axios.
Limited crossings took place at Rafah on Monday, as patients and families moved through the gates for the first time in months. Photographers captured the tension, relief, and emotional toll of separation at a crossing long marked by both isolation and hope.
Web Summit Qatar 2026 opened in Doha on Sunday, drawing tens of thousands of founders, investors, policymakers and technology leaders to what organisers describe as one of the region’s largest digital economy gatherings.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday that the United States has begun negotiations with European leaders over Greenland and that an agreement is already taking shape.
The United States accused Cuba of interfering with the work of its top diplomat in Havana on Sunday (1 February) after small groups of Cubans jeered at him during meetings with residents and church representatives.
Dmitry Medvedev, said European countries have failed to defeat Russia in Ukraine and have instead inflicted serious economic damage on themselves, as he criticised EU policy, praised Donald Trump as a leader who seeks peace, and said Russia would “soon” achieve military victory in the war.
Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned that any U.S. military attack on Iran would spark a wider regional conflict, Iranian semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Sunday.
U.S. president Donald Trump said Iran is “seriously talking” with the United States and expressed hope that negotiations could lead to an outcome acceptable to Washington.
Yanis Varoufakis delivered a blunt assessment: the European Union has missed every major chance to reform, poisoned its own democratic debate and is now entering a prolonged period of structural decline.
The Kremlin has confirmed that the next round of trilateral talks between Ukraine, Russia and the United States will be held in Abu Dhabi on 4–5 February, after the meeting was postponed last week to align the schedules of all delegations.
Hungary has vowed legal action against the European Union over a planned ban on Russian gas imports by 2027, after Brussels said national objections would not override EU law.
Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) has accused French President Emmanuel Macron of authorising intelligence operations aimed at eliminating “undesirable leaders” in Africa, claiming that Paris is pursuing a political comeback after losing ground in several former colonies.
Türkiye, Egypt, and Qatar are trying to organise a meeting in Ankara between White House Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and top Iranian officials, according to reports in the U.S. and Turkish media.
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