**NATO Not Expected to Meet Trump’s 5% Spending Target**
The United States‘ push for NATO allies to spend 5% of their GDP on defense is unlikely to succeed. Instead, some countries are open to increasing the current target from 2%.
US President-elect Donald Trump called for a 5% spending target in January, but many NATO members do not support this. Some countries may agree to increase the spending target to 3%, according to Reuters.
**Ukraine Increases Defense Spending**
Ukraine has increased its defense spending despite not being a part of NATO. The country plans to spend 26% of its GDP on defense in 2025, surpassing forecasts made by Ukraine’s National Bank.
**Russia’s War in Ukraine Continues**
The war between Russia and Ukraine continues with both sides using military force. Ukrainian forces have struck Russian army command posts, while Russia has launched drones at Ukraine.
**US Sanctions Russia**
The United States has imposed new sanctions on Russia, targeting individuals and entities from various countries. The measures are aimed at cutting off revenue used to fund Russia’s war against Ukraine.
**European Union Provides Financial Aid**
The European Union has provided financial aid to Ukraine through frozen Russian assets. This is the first tranche of funds and will be used to support Ukraine’s military efforts.
**No Meeting Between Trump and Putin Yet**
US President-elect Donald Trump has said that Vladimir Putin wants to meet with him, but no meeting has been scheduled yet.