NATO fighter jets were scrambled and air defense systems put on alert in Poland in response to Russia’s latest overnight drone and missile strikes in Ukraine.

NATO Secretary Gen. Mark Rutte warned Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday that the alliance was “ready and willing” to take on Moscow if it attacks — with the European Union

Updated defense data across the European Union (EU) show that military spending has grown sharply since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. NATO’s European members added more than $100 billion in defense outlays between 2022 and 2024, with further increases projected through the decade.

Moscow called the comments “extremely irresponsible”, accusing Nato of suggesting it was “moving towards an escalation”. Maria Zakharova, Russia’s foreign ministry spokesman, added that it was a “deliberate attempt” to sabotage peace talks.

As Moscow becomes more bullish in its hybrid warfare tactics to provoke Nato, James C. Reynolds looks at how both armies and economies compare

The entire Nordic region now falls under the purview of the Virginia-based Joint Forces Command Norfolk headquarters.