**Estonia Wants NATO Allies to Boost Defense Spending**
Estonia plans to propose that members of the U.K.-led Joint Expeditionary Force, a coalition of northern European NATO countries, commit at least 2.5% of their GDP to defense spending.
This move is in response to the ongoing threat from Russia. Only 23 out of 32 NATO members are on track to meet the alliance’s target of spending at least 2% of their GDP on defense.
Estonia’s Prime Minister Kristen Michal said that “everybody in NATO and in the EU right now has the feeling in their backbone that you should increase defense expenditure because of what is happening all over the world and with Russia.”
**Russia’s Threats**
Michal also emphasized the importance of securing lasting peace. He suggested seizing 200 to 300 billion euros of Russia’s frozen assets to help rebuild Ukraine.
He also proposed additional taxes on Russian goods, aiming to raise another 300 billion euros. Michal said that such measures would cripple Russia’s ability to continue hostilities while strengthening Ukraine’s military resources.
**Global Reactions**
Hungary has consistently criticized EU sanctions against Russia and blocked initiatives to provide military aid to Kyiv.
North Korean troops have joined combat operations in the Kursk Oblast, marking the first confirmed engagement of North Korean soldiers alongside Russian military.
President-elect Donald Trump confirmed he had not invited President Volodymyr Zelensky to his January inauguration but noted that Zelensky would be “welcome” if he chose to attend.
**Ukraine’s Defense**
Launched in October 2022, the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM) has already trained approximately 60,000 Ukrainian troops as of August 2024, primarily in Germany and Poland.
Colonel Vadym Sukharevskyi said Ukraine’s laser system, called Tryzub, can down aircraft at altitudes exceeding 2 kilometers.
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