U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has called for NATO’s European members to increase their role in the defense of Europe as the United States focuses on defending the alliance’s Pacific flank. It is a move that he says will likely require European allies to significantly increase defense spending from 2% of GDP to about 5% of GDP.

Defense chief Pete Hegseth issued a call to "make NATO great again" – urging European countries to spend more on defense with a twist on Trump's slogan.

As Trump grants Putin his main wish to end war in Ukraine, Kyiv and Europe voice anger at not being included in proposed talks.

U.S. President Donald Trump has promised a swift end to the Ukraine war but with talks about to begin the author of "The Art of the Deal" may have already complicated his task by sacrificing leverage.

Their remarks added to the anxiety, in Washington and across Europe, surrounding Trump’s plan to pursue a deal that would end the Russia-Ukraine war.