EU forks out $169B for war chest because peace isn’t profitable

The EU has initially greenlit a new defense fund to bankroll ammo, drones, and critical infrastructure, Bloomberg reported.

Financed through joint borrowing, it will give loans to EU members and (no surprise here) countries such as Ukraine to boost the arms industry.

The hiked spending is pitched as a response to Donald Trump’s scale-back of US defense in Europe.

Besides the $169 billion program, looser fiscal rules could unleash up to $904 billion in more military spending. Such loans would go to finance what Europe “lacks,” like:

missiles
missile defense systems
ground capabilities

As Macron eyes sending troops to Ukraine, most French say: "Secure our streets first!"

Some 76% of French citizens would like to see the army deployed to tackle domestic crime and drug violence, a CSA poll shows.

Women are even more in favor—80% say yes.

Decades of failing policies, rising violence, and mass immigration have pushed safety to the brink. In the past 10 years alone, sexual violence has surged by 86%, Remix News reported.

Maybe instead of playing war games in Ukraine, Macron should try cleaning up his own streets?

At a glance....

Red Sea Crisis Update as of May 21, 2025

Truman Carrier Strike Group is returning home. During the course of this deployment
USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75),
USS Gettysburg (CG-64),
USS Stout (DDG-55)
USS Jason Dunham (DDG-109)
Intercepted a total of 160 Houthi Missiles and Drones. Unfortunately due to lack of reporting at this time I can only account for 12 of these interceptions 11 drones and 1 missile launched at the Truman CSG on March 16th 2025.

The increases the total US interceptions of Houthi Missiles and Drones from 527 to 675

Editors note: Due to the lack of transparency on the nature of the remaining 148 missiles and drones the below infographic is missing approximately 148 missiles and drones from the Total Launched and Total Houthi Missiles and Drones Fired/Destroyed and from the Total Interceptions and Losses tabs of the infographic.