Space Industry and Business News
SUPERPOWERS
UK's Sunak to discuss European security with Scholz in Berlin
UK's Sunak to discuss European security with Scholz in Berlin
By Peter HUTCHISON
Berlin (AFP) April 24, 2024

UK premier Rishi Sunak will talk defence and security with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday when the British leader makes his first trip to Berlin since becoming prime minister 18 months ago.

Discussions are expected to focus on Ukraine, defence spending levels, and a push by Germany to bolster NATO's air defences in Europe amid Russia's relentless missile strikes on Ukraine.

"At this dangerous moment for the world, the UK and Germany are standing side by side to preserve security and prosperity at home and across our continent," said Sunak, haling "a new chapter" in the countries' relationship.

Sunak's visit to Berlin is the second day of a two-day trip to Europe. He visited the Polish capital Warsaw on Tuesday where he pledged to gradually increase UK defence spending to 2.5 percent of GDP by 2030.

Sunak said that the West was facing its most dangerous period since the end of the Cold War, with Russia's assault on Ukraine in its third year, but also the threat of escalation in the Middle East.

NATO countries are facing pressure to raise defence expenditure in the face of these global threats.

More of NATO's European members -- including heavyweights France and Germany -- have increased their defence spending recently to meet the alliance's two percent of GDP target.

But EU chief Ursula von der Leyen recently warned that more needs to be done and Brussels is set to come up with further proposals for financing the defence push by a summit of EU leaders in June.

It has put forward a 1.5-billion-euro ($1.6-billion) strategy to step up defence production, but officials say this is nowhere near sufficient.

"Germany and the UK are the two largest defence spenders in Europe and are the two countries which have been at the forefront of providing support to Ukraine," Sunak said in Poland on Tuesday.

"I'm confident that that will continue and we are actually in the process of strengthening our defence and security co-operation with the Germans," he added.

Sunak and Scholz are due to announce plans for a joint endeavour to develop remote-controlled Howitzer artillery systems that will be fitted to Boxer armoured vehicles.

They are also likely to discuss Germany's common air defence project, the European Sky Shield Initiative.

Berlin has urged allies to buy deterrence systems together and the UK, which left the European Union in early 2020, is among some 20 countries to have signed up to the plan.

The project would involve joint procurement for short-, medium- and long-range systems, including the German-made Iris-T, the American Patriot system and the US-Israeli Arrow 3.

France has so far declined to sign up to the pact, with officials there arguing instead for an air defence system using European equipment.

Sunak and Scholz are due to hold a press conference at 1:45 pm (1145 GMT).

Related Links
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
SUPERPOWERS
Trade, TikTok, Taiwan: Blinken faces tough talks in China
Beijing (AFP) April 24, 2024
Top US diplomat Antony Blinken faces tough talks in China this week, as Washington ramps up pressure on its main rival on everything from defence to the economy ahead of the election. The United States and China are on paper rebuilding ties following a meeting between Joe Biden and Xi Jinping in San Francisco last year. But the world's two biggest economies remain deeply at odds over trade, technology, Taiwan and the Ukraine war. "Blinken's trip is not going to be an easy task," Wu Xinbo, di ... read more

SUPERPOWERS
NASA's Optical Comms Demo Achieves Data Transmission Over 140 Million Miles

Asterra debuts groundbreaking L-band SAR API for commercial use

Cloud storage: Japan region apologises as wind blows away personal data

Chinese company aims to ramp up Serbia copper, gold mining

SUPERPOWERS
Enhancing connectivity and readiness at Space Systems Command

Kratos and SES showcase new virtualized SATCOM system for US Army

Troposcatter Technology by Ultra I&C enhances global defense networks

ATLAS Integrates DoD antenna into Hybrid Space Architecture

SUPERPOWERS
SUPERPOWERS
Exploring the marvels of Galileo: Europe's satellite navigation system

TrustPoint Secures AFWERX Phase II Contract for Advanced Navigation Solutions

GMV Spearheads ESA's Mission to Revolutionize Satellite Navigation with LEO Technology

Aerospacelab and Xona Unite to Transform Satellite Navigation

SUPERPOWERS
Croatia gets French fighter jets in major arms purchase

U.S. military joins Japan in search for missing 7 MSDF crew from helicopter crash

Airbus net profit soars 28% in first quarter

Sri Lanka leases white elephant airport built with Chinese loans

SUPERPOWERS
China, future HQ: New ASML boss faces bulging in-tray

Flexible thin-film electronics could transform chip design

Refining entanglement dynamics in superconducting qubit arrays at MIT

New insights in spintronics: Researchers enhance understanding of spin currents

SUPERPOWERS
NASA's ORCA, AirHARP Projects Paved Way for PACE to Reach Space

High-resolution lidar unveils droplet formation in clouds

NASA's CloudSat Ends Mission Peering Into the Heart of Clouds

Satellogic partners with O.N.E. Amazon to develop the Internet of Forests

SUPERPOWERS
The Myanmar 'water brothers' salvaging shipwrecks on the tide

Paris dream of swimming in the Seine finally within reach

Plastics pollution may be solved without production cap: Canada minister

Netherlands sued over 'forever chemical' pollution

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.