Victor Jack

NATO’s next villain: Czechia Prague is on track to spend less than 2 percent of its GDP on defense, setting it on a collision course with the U.S. and other NATO allies.

NEW: Czechia is on track to slash its core defense spending to below 2 percent of GDP this year, setting it on a collision course with U.S. President Donald Trump — and the country’s NATO allies.

w/ @paulmcleary.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/eu-c...

US presses NATO for major reset, ending mission in Iraq The push by Washington, which also wants to scale down a peacekeeping operation in Kosovo, has become known internally as a “return to factory settings,” four diplomats told POLITICO.

NEW: The U.S. is pushing NATO to slash many of its foreign activities including ending an alliance mission in Iraq.

The U.S. is also lobbying to scale down NATO’s Kosovo op & and keep Ukraine from participating in the alliance’s annual summit in Ankara. www.politico.eu/article/us-p...

Romania calls for NATO Black Sea mission The plea comes as Romania faces mounting aerial and maritime security threats from Russia, Defense Minister Radu Miruță says.

NEW: NATO should redistribute counter-drone equipment, radars and air defense missiles as part of a new 'Black Sea Sentry' to deter Russia, Romanian Defense Minister Radu Miruță told POLITICO.

www.politico.eu/article/roma...

No ‘business as usual’ with US: Latvian PM Evika Siliņa said that a more decisive Europe may have some new moves in its dance with the U.S.

NEW: Europe must emerge as a geopolitical power that speaks in a “direct and clear” way to the US, Latvian PM Evika Siliņa told POLITICO.

Siliņa said she would support a new European Security Council and was open to Latvia joining talks on a shared nuclear deterrent.
www.politico.eu/article/evik...

Nuke-talk is heating up among Europeans in Munich ‘Nuclear deterrence can give us new opportunities. Why not?’ Latvian PM tells POLITICO.

NEW: More European countries are publicly backing talks on a homegrown nuclear deterrent to complement American atomic weapons following an erosion of trust in a Donald Trump-led U.S.

w/ @laukaya.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/euro...

NATO deploys to Greenland to keep Trump onside The alliance’s Arctic Sentry is mostly a rebranding exercise aimed at appeasing the U.S. president — in response to a largely exaggerated threat.

NEW: NATO is beefing up its Arctic presence in a move designed less to deter Russia than Donald Trump.

Ahead of today's NATO summit, diplomats & experts said the effort is mostly a rebranding exercise to appease Trump — in response to an exaggerated threat.
www.politico.eu/article/nato...

UK to join NATO’s US arms-buying scheme for Ukraine London will contribute £150 million to the PURL program, as allies increasingly come under pressure to supply weapons to Ukraine.

NEW: The U.K. has agreed to spend £150 million to buy U.S. weapons for Ukraine, becoming the latest ally to join NATO’s signature PURL scheme that supplies critical arms to Kyiv.

w/ @estwebber.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/uk-j...

NEW: A major pullback of U.S. troops from European soil is unlikely in the near future.

Since the start of the year, the U.S. has told allies any withdrawal would be very limited, govt officials from 7 European countries said.

w/ @paulmcleary.bsky.social & Jack Detsch
pro.politico.eu/news/212852

The U.S. wants to reshuffle commanders of several top NATO command centers, ceding control of 2 while taking over 1.

It’s part of a push by Trump to make Europeans shoulder more responsibility as doubts swirl over U.S. commitment to NATO.

w/@paulmcleary.bsky.social pro.politico.eu/news/212776

Trump’s Greenland gambit pushes Europe to look to its own nuclear arsenals European nations wanting “insurance” against Russia are looking to France and Britain to share their nuclear deterrents.

European countries are openly discussing a new form of protection against Russia built around French and British atomic weapons.

Some are pushing for more clarity from Europe's nuclear powers, with some whispering about developing their own.
w/@laukaya.bsky.social
www.politico.eu/article/us-d...

Trump’s Greenland gambit pushes Europe to look to its own nuclear arsenals European nations wanting “insurance” against Russia are looking to France and Britain to share their nuclear deterrents.

Donald Trump’s Greenland gambit pushes Europe to look to its own nuclear arsenals. European nations wanting additional “insurance” against Russia are increasingly looking to France and Britain. With @victorjack.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/us-d...

US defense chief Pete Hegseth to skip key NATO ministerial meeting Pentagon policy chief and isolationist Elbridge Colby will attend instead, the second time top U.S. officials have sent a deputy to a NATO meeting.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth will send his deputy to a meeting of NATO defense ministers next month, a decision likely to raise further questions about Washington’s dedication to the transatlantic alliance.

w/ @paulmcleary.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/us-d...

‘Let's not get a divorce’: A behind-the-scenes look at how countries handled Trump’s Greenland grab State Department cables obtained by POLITICO lay bare the frustrations — and aspirations — of US allies and adversaries watching Trump seek the Danish island.

NEW: Leaked diplomatic cables expose the reverberations of Trump's threats to seize Greenland as EU officials vented their frustrations this month.

We also detail how Mark Rutte helped broker a deal. w/ @nahaltoosi.bsky.social @paulmcleary.bsky.social
www.politico.com/news/2026/01...

‘Let's not get a divorce’: A behind-the-scenes look at how countries handled Trump’s Greenland grab State Department cables obtained by POLITICO lay bare the frustrations — and aspirations — of US allies and adversaries watching Trump seek the Danish island.

SCOOP: Iceland wanted an apology. Finland was looking for a way out. China was pretty darn happy. U.S. diplomatic cables lay out some behind-the-scenes fallout over Trump's Greenland grab. Do enjoy: www.politico.com/news/2026/01... w/ @paulmcleary.bsky.social & @victorjack.bsky.social

Mark Rutte’s Trump flattery strains NATO The alliance secretary-general helped bring NATO back from the brink on Greenland. But some in Europe are now asking: At what cost?

NEW: Mark Rutte helped bring NATO back from the brink on Greenland. But some in Europe are now asking: At what cost?

The Greenland standoff “did a lot of damage,” said one NATO diplomat. “We’re an alliance of 32, not a U.S.+31 club.” www.politico.eu/article/mark...

Greenland crisis revives calls for European ‘security council’ A new body gathering the continent’s leaders could allow Europe to act more swiftly and decisively. But the plan remains politically divisive.

Donald Trump’s unending appetite for seizing Greenland is breathing new life into the idea of Europe setting up a UN-style Security Council.

EU officials and even leaders are getting behind the idea, while lawmakers are drafting legal options.

www.politico.eu/article/dona...

Time to dump Trump? Europeans whisper last-resort options to save Greenland The alliance is already broken, officials say, so why not threaten to cut ties with America on military collaboration?

As Trump threatens to use the military to seize Greenland, European officials and diplomats have started quietly airing a previously unsayable thought: What would it look like to fight back?

One potential target: American military bases.

www.politico.eu/article/dona...

The EU’s little-known way to save Greenland without NATO Denmark could trigger the EU’s little-known Article 42.7 if the U.S. attacks Greenland. But it would face high legal, political and military hurdles.

If Donald Trump uses military force to grab Greenland, Denmark has options beyond NATO.

Instead, it could trigger Art 42.7, the EU's common defense pact. But doing so would mean overcoming high legal, political and military hurdles.

w/@jacopobarigazzi.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/5-th...

NATO weighs boosting Arctic security as Trump escalates Greenland claims Ideas include better Arctic surveillance, more defense spending, transfers of military equipment and military exercises.

NEW: NATO countries today asked the alliance to strengthen its Arctic flank amid U.S. threats to seize Greenland, NATO diplomats said.

Envoys raised better use of intel, shifting assets, more defense spending & military exercises.

w/@jacopobarigazzi.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/nato...

How Europe will try to save Greenland from Trump POLITICO spoke with officials, diplomats, experts and NATO insiders to map out 4 potential strategies for deterring the U.S. president.

As the U.S. continues to browbeat Denmark and Greenland, we looked into the different ways Europe could respond — from bolstering NATO's presence in the Arctic all the way to a tripwire force to raise the cost of U.S. military action.

w/ @zoyashef.bsky.social

www.politico.eu/article/euro...

NATO allies ‘punching below their weight’ face pressure to buy arms for Ukraine Some non-NATO countries like Australia and New Zealand plan to chip in to the PURL scheme, while other allies are doing much less.

NEW: Pressure is mounting on NATO countries to spread more evenly the costs of buying desperately needed U.S. weapons for Ukraine, as the alliance looks to restructure its signature scheme.

www.politico.eu/article/nato...

Europe thinks the unthinkable: Retaliating against Russia Countries are looking at joint offensive cyber operations and surprise military drills as Moscow steps up its campaign to destabilize NATO allies.

NEW: Europe is looking at joint offensive cyber operations and surprise military drills as Moscow steps up its campaign to destabilize NATO allies.

w/ @laukaya.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/euro...

Rutte rules out Russian veto on Ukraine joining NATO The alliance chief also warned that the threat Moscow poses to Europe will far outlast any peace deal reached with Kyiv.

Russia has no veto over Kyiv’s bid to join NATO, alliance chief Mark Rutte said on Wednesday — rebuffing a peace deal proposal floated by Moscow and Washington that would block Ukraine from the alliance.

www.politico.eu/article/mark...

Russia ‘prepared to take enormous strategic risks’ to test NATO, top Swedish general warns Europe must prepare for a “generational” war with Russia, Swedish Chief of Defense Michael Claesson told POLITICO.

NEW: Russia is likely to test NATO’s collective defense pledge very soon, Sweden’s top general has said, as Moscow escalates its campaign of hybrid attacks against Europe.

w/ @jacopobarigazzi.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/russ...

Gunvor pulls offer for Russia’s Lukoil as US brands firm ‘Kremlin puppet’ The Swiss-based trading house, which had offered to buy the Russian oil giant’s international assets, called the accusation “fundamentally misinformed.”

NEW: Gunvor said it was retracting its offer to buy the international assets of Russia's Lukoil's after the U.S. said it would "never" approve the deal.

It slammed the U.S. Treasury as "fundamentally misinformed" for branding it the "Kremlin's puppet." www.politico.eu/article/dona...

NATO downplays US troop drawdown as Russian hybrid attacks intensify The announced withdrawal of troops “happens all the time,” says alliance Secretary-General Mark Rutte.

NATO chief Mark Rutte today played down a U.S. decision to withdraw hundreds of troops from Romania, just as the alliance grapples with increasing numbers of suspected Russian hybrid attacks.

“This happens all the time,” Rutte told POLITICO at a press conference. www.politico.eu/article/nato...

Bulgaria sounds out exemption to Trump’s oil sanctions amid fears of fuel shortages Sofia argues argues its Lukoil-owned Burgas refinery could stop working. Experts argue it’s playing for time.

NEW: Bulgaria is exploring requesting an exemption to new U.S. sanctions against Lukoil, according to two people familiar with the matter, as it fears the measures will cause severe fuel shortages and a populist backlash across the country.

www.politico.eu/article/bulg...

EU countries are considering postponing imposing higher taxes on gas, electricity and other fuels by an extra year as they seek a deal on the bloc’s revamped energy tax rules.

pro.politico.eu/news/207592

Trump does what Brussels couldn’t: Kill Russian oil in Europe New U.S. sanctions will be “catastrophic” for Lukoil’s operations across the continent, warns former company executive.

NEW: Donald Trump’s surprise move to sanction Russia’s largest oil companies won’t paralyze Russia’s war machine — but it could help the EU quit Moscow’s oil for good.

For Lukoil in particular, it will be “catastrophic,” said one former exec. w/@evahartog.bsky.social www.politico.eu/article/dona...

NEW: A requirement asking EU countries to track Russian gas cargoes before they enter the bloc will likely remain part of Brussels’ ban on Moscow's imports.

Despite pushback from France among others, the final country negotiation document keeps that requirement in place.
pro.politico.eu/news/206691