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European security policy

EU defense plan meets resistance in indebted Italy

The EU's plans to finance a huge defense investment have not landed well in Italy, reports GP. People there are demonstrating for fear that the EU's plan will push the already indebted Italian economy towards a crisis.

Demonstrations were recently held in Rome. The populist party Five Star Movement organized the rally, but with support from other opposition parties in Italy, according to Euronews.

- Our government has sold out Italy for Germany's needs, said Giuseppe Conte, party leader of the Five Star Movement during the demonstration.

The future of defense
New ambassador: Saab's plan interesting for France

France's new ambassador to Sweden, Thierry Carlier, says that France may be interested in Saab's Global Eye reconnaissance aircraft, when old AWACS planes from Boeing are to be replaced. He says this in an interview with SvD. But the French demand did not come without a caveat: Carlier wants to see Sweden buy some defense system that is French-made.

–This type of cross-purchase between our countries not only increases operability because we have the same equipment. The purchases are also faster, he tells SvD.

The tariff crisis Trump's tariff policy
International leaders: China's next move worries the world

The escalated tariff war between the US and China is receiving a lot of focus on international editorial pages.

The Washington Post believes that it risks ending badly and having long-term economic consequences. The worst unintended consequence?

"That other countries, even long-term US allies, may find China a more reliable trading partner," writes WP.

The Financial Times wonders what China's next move will be and discusses the strategic dilemmas that Beijing faces. Among other things, China has been too dependent on exports and has been criticized for unfair trading practices.

“As the global trading order changes, its own prosperity also depends on adapting its economic model,” writes the FT.

The Economist believes that Donald Trump’s incoherent trade policies mean that it will take a long time to rebuild trust between nations, even if the immediate chaos may have subsided.

“In any case, Trump remains in an open confrontation with China that may be difficult to back down from,” writes The Economist.