Norway backs Nato’s 5% defence spending target despite Spain rejecting it as ‘unreasonable’ – Europe live | Europe
Norway backs new 5% Nato defence spending target, prime minister says
Speaking at the press conference, Jonas Gahr Støre declared Norway’s support for the 5% target proposed by Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte.
In his opening statement, Støre explained the target is divided into 3.5% on “classic defence” spending including staff, investments, preparedness, and support for Ukraine, with the remaining 1.5% on “defence-related expenses” including on operational and industrial measures.
He said that the latter category could cover expenses on protecting and developing critical infrastructure, facing hybrid threats including in digital, and disinformation, among others.
He said the country was currently spending 3.2% on defence, if Ukraine aid is included. The latest Nato estimates for 2024 had Norway spending 2.2%.
The prime minister added that some details on the target, including by when the countries should meet it, remain under active discussions and will be decided next week.
Støre also reiterated his warning that Norway faces “the most serious security policy situation” since the second world war, as he also pointed to new risks arising from the crisis in the Middle East.
Key events
Denmark deploys ‘saildrones’ in Baltic to protect undersea cables from Russia
Miranda Bryant
Back to the Russian threat, Denmark is deploying floating drones on the Baltic Sea to protect undersea infrastructure and bolster maritime surveillance amid the growing threat of hybrid attacks from Moscow.
The arrival of Saildrone, a California-based company, has prompted criticism in Denmark over forging tighter bonds with the US in such a sensitive area as digital security.
The backlash comes amid rapidly changing alliances, evolving technology and ongoing tensions between Copenhagen and Washington after Donald Trump threatened to take over Greenland, which is part of the Danish kingdom.
The 10-metre unmanned vessels, known as “saildrones”, resemble sailing boats but are designed solely to collect data. Using onboard AI, saildrones compile data using multiple sensors, cameras and radar to produce a more detailed picture of maritime activity than satellites can provide.
The company has previously worked with the US navy, which used its vessels to help counter drug trafficking and illegal fishing operations. Its arrival in Denmark marks the first time it has been used for defence purposes in European waters.
“The purpose of Saildrone is to give eyes and ears where we previously didn’t have eyes and ears,” said Richard Jenkins, CEO of Saildrone.
Employees at firm that supplied grape-pickers for champagne on trial for human trafficking
Angelique Chrisafis
Three employees of a firm that provided workers to pick grapes for champagne has gone on trial for human trafficking, in one of the biggest labour scandals to hit France’s exclusive sparkling wine industry.
The employees of the firm supplying grape pickers for the champagne harvest in 2023 were charged with human trafficking and exploiting seasonal workers, submitting vulnerable people to undignified housing conditions, and employing foreign nationals without authorisation. The firm itself was also on trial for moral responsibility in the case.
The case, being heard at the criminal court of Châlons-en-Champagne in north-east France, has become known in France as “the grape harvest of shame”.
German military sees Russia as ‘existential risk’, leaked paper says
The German military deems Russia an “existential risk” to the country and Europe, according to a Spiegel news magazine report that cites a new Bundeswehr strategy paper.
Writing up the report, Reuters noted that the confidential document warns that the Kremlin is aligning both its industrial and leadership structures “specifically to meet the requirements for a large-scale conflict against Nato by the end of this decade.“
Russia is verifiably preparing for a conflict with Nato, particularly by strengthening forces in western Russia “at the borders with Nato,” the report cites the strategy paper as saying.
As early as next year, Russia could have around 1.5 million soldiers on active duty, according to the paper.
The defence ministry did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Pope warns of AI risks to young brains
Pope Leo XIV warned of the potential consequences of artificial intelligence (AI) on the intellectual development of young people, saying it could damage their grip on reality, AFP reported.
Since his election as head of the Catholic Church on May 8, the pope – a mathematics graduate – has repeatedly warned of the risks associated with AI but this is the first time he has spoken out exclusively on the subject.
“All of us… are concerned for children and young people, and the possible consequences of the use of AI on their intellectual and neurological development,” the American pope warned in a written message to participants at the second Rome Conference on AI.
“No generation has ever had such quick access to the amount of information now available through AI.”
“But again, access to data – however extensive – must not be confused with intelligence,” Leo told business leaders, policymakers and researchers attending the annual conference.
Pope Leo himself has been the target of deepfake videos and audio messages published on social media in recent weeks.
From Berlin to Oslo, Europe’s urban swimmers take the plunge
And speaking of swimming, there’s also a separate topic of urban Europe’s wild swimming hotspots – both those that are coming, and those that have been delighting city swimmers for years.
Do we have a story about it?
Of course we have a story about it.
Most of Europe’s bathing waters safe for swimming, report says
More than three-quarters of bathing waters monitored in the European Union, Albania and Switzerland were of “excellent” quality in 2024, the 27-member bloc’s environment agency said on Friday.
AFP noted that all but four percent met the EU’s minimum standard (“sufficient”) and just 1.5 percent were of “poor” quality, the European Environment Agency said in its annual update on the beaches, rivers and lakes that are tested for faecal contamination.
“Europeans can confidently bathe in the vast majority of the EU’s bathing sites that meet the EU’s bathing quality standards,” EU environment commissioner Jessika Roswall said.
Poland’s Tusk picks EU minister to be government spokesperson
Poland’s EU minister Adam Szłapka, who led the country’s EU presidency from January, will become the new chief government spokesperson, prime minister Donald Tusk has announced.
The move comes ahead of a broader government reshuffle after the ruling pro-European coalition’s defeat in the presidential election earlier this month.
Talking about the defeat in parliament, Tusk strongly defended his government’s track record and lamented its inability to communicate its successes to the electorate.
“If we told our story even half as well as we actually governed, we would be winning election after election,” he said.
Now it’s on Szłapka to make that happen.
Iran to be discussed at next week’s Nato summit, Germany says
In Berlin, meanwhile, a German government spokesperon said that Iran will probably be a topic of discussion at next week’s Nato summit in The Hague.
“We do not comment on allies’ possible attack plans,” the spokesperson said, referring to US president Donald Trump saying he would decide within two weeks whether his country would join Israeli strikes.
Macron praises Eutelsat investment, calls for return to talks on Iran
Arriving at the Paris airshow just a moment ago, Macron stressed the importance of the European satellite company Eutelsat, saying it was a part of a broader push for Europe’s strategic sovereignty, as he urged partners to join France in raising even more capital.
It was announced yesterday that France is set to become Eutelsat’s biggest shareholder after a €1.35bn capital injection.
Macron argued Eutelsat was the only “non-American and non-Chinese player” in space, and so it allowed to build a sovereign alternative for Europe.
On Iran, Macron said “no one should dismiss the risk posed by an Iran equipped with nuclear weapon,” stressing France’s role in the past negotiations on this issue.
He added Iran must show its willingness to return to the negotiating table.
But he also stressed that “nothing justifies strikes on energy infrastructure and civilian population,” and called for an urgent return to diplomatic talks, praising the Geneva talks talking place this afternoon.
“We must be able to resume political and diplomatic work,” he said.
Paris airshow in subdued mood after deadly Air India crash
Jasper Jolly
Every second summer more than 100,000 aviation industry professionals gather in Paris for an airshow – a flying display crossed with a vast conference.
The mood at the latest gathering this week was more subdued than usual, after the deadly crash a week ago of a London-bound Air India flight in Ahmedabad.
At an event that presents a mix of civil and military aircraft and weaponry, the war between Israel and Iran further overshadowed proceedings.
The French government forced the show’s organisers to cover stands exhibiting Israeli companies’ weapons, an apparent show of France’s opposition to the escalation. Turbo Sjogren, the head of Boeing’s international government and defence, said several Middle Eastern military customers were unable to attend meetings because of the war.
The airshow and its British counterpart – held every other year at Farnborough, Hampshire – are usually dominated by a race between Airbus and Boeing to announce the most orders from airlines.
Jakub Krupa
Meanwhile in France, president Emmanuel Macron is expected to deliver a statement at the Paris airshow later today.
I will keep an eye on this – he’s due to speak closer to midday – but in the meantime, here’s our latest report from the event.
Work needed to find consensus on Nato spending, Norway’s Støre says
Asked about the Spanish opposition to the 5% Nato target, Støre said the goal remains to reach a common position, as he stressed it wasn’t unusual for 32 countries in different geographical locations and economic situations to have different views.
“I assume that work is being done with the aim of achieving a consensus and a solution that all countries can agree on,” he said, adding that “there is a fairly common understanding in Europe that Europe should contribute more.”
Looking at when Norway could meet the new target, he suggested it would be “well into 2030s,” hinting at some point between 2030 and 2036.
And that concludes his press conference.
Norway backs new 5% Nato defence spending target, prime minister says
Speaking at the press conference, Jonas Gahr Støre declared Norway’s support for the 5% target proposed by Nato’s secretary general Mark Rutte.
In his opening statement, Støre explained the target is divided into 3.5% on “classic defence” spending including staff, investments, preparedness, and support for Ukraine, with the remaining 1.5% on “defence-related expenses” including on operational and industrial measures.
He said that the latter category could cover expenses on protecting and developing critical infrastructure, facing hybrid threats including in digital, and disinformation, among others.
He said the country was currently spending 3.2% on defence, if Ukraine aid is included. The latest Nato estimates for 2024 had Norway spending 2.2%.
The prime minister added that some details on the target, including by when the countries should meet it, remain under active discussions and will be decided next week.
Støre also reiterated his warning that Norway faces “the most serious security policy situation” since the second world war, as he also pointed to new risks arising from the crisis in the Middle East.
Jakub Krupa
Norwegian prime minister Jonas Gahr Støre is about to give a press conference on Norway’s contribution to Nato shortly.
Let’s see if he has anything to say on Spain’s objections, too.
I will bring you the key lines here.
Spain rejects Nato plan for member states to spend 5% of GDP on defence
Sam Jones
Spain’s prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, has rejected Nato’s proposal for member states to increase their defence spending to 5% of their GDP, saying the idea would “not only be unreasonable but also counterproductive”.
Sánchez said that he was not seeking to complicate next week’s Nato summit in The Hague, but he wanted there to be a “more flexible formula” that would either make the target optional or allow Spain to opt out.
The proposal – advanced by the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, in response to Donald Trump’s demands for a 5% target – suggests member states agree to raise defence spending to 3.5% of their GDP and commit a further 1.5% to wider security spending.
In a letter to Rutte that emerged on Thursday, Sánchez questioned the possible consequences of such a rise, saying it would be incompatible with Spain’s welfare state and its vision of the world.
“Committing to a 5% target would not only be unreasonable but also counterproductive because it would move Spain further away from optimal spending and would hinder the EU’s ongoing efforts to strengthen its security and defence ecosystem,” he said.
“It is the legitimate right of every government to decide whether or not they are willing to make those sacrifices. As a sovereign ally, we choose not to.”
Spain currently lags well behind other western nations by dedicating only about 1.3% of its GDP to defence spending, well short of the current Nato target of 2%. It has suggested a target of 2.1%.
Morning opening: Russian attacks on Ukraine continue
Jakub Krupa
One person was killed and at least 14 were injured when Russian drones attacked the Ukrainian Black Sea city of Odesa overnight, damaging high-rise buildings and railway infrastructure, Reuters reported local authorities as saying.
Odesa is Ukraine’s largest Black Sea port, key for imports and exports, and has been under constant missile and drone attacks by Russia since the war began, the agency noted.
“Despite the active work of air defence forces, there is damage to civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings, a higher education institution, a gas pipeline and private cars,” local governor Oleh Kiper said on Telegram messenger.
The latest attack comes 101 days after Ukraine accepted the US proposal for an unconditional ceasefire, but Russia continues to dither, delay and destroy and refuses to commit to the process.
It also comes just days before the Nato summit in The Hague next week, where Ukraine is expected to feature prominently on the agenda with the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, among those attending.
Elsewhere, we will be looking at reactions to Spain’s criticism of the alliance’s new 5% spending target and other key developments across the continent, including French president Emmanuel Macron’s speech at the Paris Air Show.
It’s Friday, 20 June 2025, it’s Jakub Krupa here, and this is Europe Live.
Good morning.
