Europe will struggle to meet its 2030 defence readiness target despite an almost 80 per cent jump in combined EU defence spending between 2020 and 2025, the European Court of Auditors (ECA) has warned. The EU's financial watchdog found that surging budgets have not been matched by structural changes in how countries invest, with national governments taking individual decisions and failing to co-ordinate weapons priorities. "Capability planning in the EU largely follows a bottom-up approach," the ECA said, warning of fragmented investment, duplication, and capability gaps.

Brussels has rolled out €150bn in cheap loans and tweaked spending rules, but analysts bemoan the lack of cross-border projects and the persistence of national defence monopolies. Marek Opioła, the ECA member who led the audit, said the goal of defence readiness by 2030 remains challenging.

Separately, relations between the EU and Brazil are imperilled after Brussels implemented a ban on Brazilian beef, poultry, and honey over antibiotic concerns. Ambassador Pedro Miguel da Costa e Silva called the ban unjustified, claiming it hollows out the recent Mercosur trade deal. Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni marked 1,413 days in power, leading the longest-lasting government since World War II.