A pair of United States fighter aircraft, which have received electronic warfare upgrades, were deployed to a NATO air base in Europe, enhancing the alliance's defense. Russia's relations with the West are at their lowest point since the Cold War.

Spain is a "reliable partner" in NATO, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said on Wednesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump criticised Madrid for falling short on its financial contributions to the defence alliance.

Europe should welcome rather than rebuff U.S. President Donald Trump's call for other NATO members to ramp up their military spending, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on Wednesday, stressing the importance of security to the continent.

Dmitry Medvedev took aim at President Joe Biden on Sunday as he criticized the president's approach to the Russia-Ukraine war.

European countries have ramped up defense budgets since Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022. And many leaders have said the increased spending must continue to counter the growing military threat from Moscow.

Sweden was spurred to join NATO in response to the security threat posed by Russia following its invasion of Ukraine. It has sent its troops to Latvia, which borders Russia and its ally Belarus. As a former Soviet republic, Latvia has highlighted the threat posed by Moscow after the war in Ukraine.

Germany met NATO's target to spend 2% of its gross domestic product on defence in 2024, the government said on Monday, though well short of incoming U.S. President Donald Trump's call for as much as 5%.

Russia is believed to be behind dozens of hybrid attacks, like arson or sabotage, on NATO soil since the Ukraine war started.

Russia is rearming faster than first thought for a potential attack on Nato, Germany’s military pointman on Ukraine has warned.

Slovakia’s pro-Russian prime minister has raised the prospect of his country leaving the European Union and Nato, arguing that world events could consign them to the “history books”.

President Trump vowed that the State Department will have an "America first" foreign policy. Nick Schifrin discussed how the world is responding to Trump's inauguration with Jens Stoltenberg, the most recent secretary general of NATO who will become the chairman of the Munich Security Conference next month.

Congress passed legislation that a president cannot unilaterally withdraw from NATO, setting up a major legal fight if Trump tries to pull the US out.