How to spend it
The Observer
|July 06, 2025
Wrongheaded defence spending will never buy us anything more than the illusion of security
-
Something is not right in the defence of the west.
In the past two weeks Nato’s European members agreed in principle to a historic increase in defence spending. Donald Trump appeared to endorse Nato’s article 5 mutual defence pact. But since then he has suspended military aid to Ukraine and had a cordial phone call with Vladimir Putin. Putin then gave the green light for one of his biggest drone and missile attacks on Kyiv.
It would be easy to place all the blame on Trump and Putin - authoritarians refusing point blank to see or say the truth about Ukraine. But it would be wrong. For too long Europe has failed to take responsibility for its own security. Nato’s European members have now pledged to spend 5% of GDP on defence by 2035 but there is no guarantee that the money will materialise or that it will be spent wisely if it does.
Esta historia es de la edición July 06, 2025 de The Observer.
Suscríbete a Magzter GOLD para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9000 revistas y periódicos.
¿Ya eres suscriptor? Iniciar sesión
MÁS HISTORIAS DE The Observer
The Observer
Dear Keir*
Ho Hullo Britain! Keir here, wishing you Christmas cheer.
3 mins
December 21, 2025
The Observer
Charlie's angel is on a mission from God to deliver the White House to JD Vance
Now leading Charlie Kirk’s conservative organisation, his widow Erika plans to help elect the next Maga president
6 mins
December 21, 2025
The Observer
Robin
Bah!Humbug! This isn’t the time to get soppy about the warm and generous world we live in.
2 mins
December 21, 2025
The Observer
How will I cope with the holiday? By disregarding it
As a carer, the way to get through the festive season is to have a low bar, says Melanie Reid
2 mins
December 21, 2025
The Observer
The outlook for British business isn't as bad as you might think
From low growth to soaring debt, many reports have painted a gloomy economic picture for next year. Richard Lambert takes a closer look at ten misconceptions
3 mins
December 21, 2025
The Observer
The best gift for our jobless young is a return to Europe
These days the principal economic policy obsession is with growth, or the lack of it.
3 mins
December 21, 2025
The Observer
When free speech becomes weaponised and tribal, everybody loses
“Globalise the intifada” It’s a phrase that could now land you in jail. “Words and chants ... have real world consequences”, warned Mark Rowley, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, and Stephen Watson, chief constable of Greater Manchester, in a joint statement last week.
4 mins
December 21, 2025
The Observer
How will I cope with the holiday? By disregarding it
As a carer, the way to get through the festive season is to have a low bar, says Melanie Reid
2 mins
December 21, 2025
The Observer
A week after Bondi, is there anywhere Jewish people can feel safe?
Bondi is almost exactly how you imagine it to be.
3 mins
December 21, 2025
The Observer
UK tech firms point way to a prosperous new year
The year 2025 is likely to go down as a difficult 12 months for Britain but gloom about the wider economy is overdone.
3 mins
December 21, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size

