Japan’s imminent easing of arms export rules has sparked strong interest from Warsaw to Manila, Reuters reporting found, as President Donald Trump wavers on security commitments to allies and the wars in Iran and Ukraine strain U.S. weapons supplies.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s ruling party approved the changes this week as she tries to invigorate the pacifist country’s military…
WARSAW, Poland — Estonia’s government has decided to put on hold its planned acquisition of new infantry fighting vehicles.
The Baltic nation will instead direct the funds toward drones, counter-drone measures and air-defense systems, while squeezing more service life…
Lebanon and Israel talks set to begin in Washington
April 15, 2026
BEIRUT, Lebanon — The first direct talks between Israel and Lebanon are set to begin today in Washington, marking a rare diplomatic engagement between two parties technically at war since 1948.
The U.S.-brokered talks will be conducted through their respective ambassadors…
WARSAW, Poland — Swedish company Swebal is building the first trinitrotoluene (TNT) factory to be opened in Sweden since the end of the Cold War, aiming to expand the European-made supply of a key explosive input used to make ammunition.
Meanwhile, the continent’s only major TNT plant in Poland is investing to boost its production capacity.
With Russia’s manufacturing capabilities dwarfing…
CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand — The Australian army has test-fired its first-ever locally assembled Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, or GMLRS, a key step toward eventually producing long-range strike weapons locally rather than importing them.
The milestone occurred at…
ISTANBUL — As the United States under President Donald Trump rethinks its security guarantees to Europe, Turkey is making the case for closer integration into the continent’s defense architecture.
Speaking at a conference marking the 74th anniversary of Turkey’s entry…
A U.S. naval blockade of Iran is a major, open-ended military endeavor that could trigger fresh retaliation from Tehran and put tremendous strain on an already fragile ceasefire, experts say.
President Donald Trump, in a social media post after no deal emerged from peace talks this weekend in Islamabad, said the U.S. Navy “will begin the process of BLOCKADING any and all Ships trying to enter…
WARSAW, Poland — Drawing on lessons from the Iran war, a study shows how Russia could force Lithuania into capitulation in 90 days with no soldiers crossing the border.
Drafted by the Baltic Defense Initiative, a small think tank based in Vilnius, the scenario exposes…
The president who threatened to end a civilization is supposed to guarantee Ukraine’s survival
April 13, 2026
KYIV, Ukraine — On Tuesday, the president of the United States sent a message to the world. The man whose military is supposed to guarantee the survival of a 35-nation coalition in Ukraine posted on Truth Social that “a whole civilization will die tonight” if Iran did…
ROME — Leonardo CEO Roberto Cingolani is to be replaced at the helm of the Italian defense company in a surprise move by the Italian government which sources said was related to his decision to shift Leonardo’s focus away from kinetic products as wars rage around the world.
At the end of his three year mandate running the Italian state-controlled firm, Cingolani appeared on course for another…