Tag: Defense
Can South Korea Defend Itself Without America?
President Lee Jae Myung used the start of this year's Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises to make an argument that would once have sounded uncomfortable in Seoul: South Korea needs to become better able to defend itself. His comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to substantially reduce…
Taiwan Plans Record T$1.1 Trillion Defense Budget
Taiwan's cabinet will propose a 16% increase in defense spending for 2027, lifting military expenditure above T$1.1 trillion (US$31 billion) for the first time in the island's history, the official Central News Agency reported Sunday. The budget, which will be formally unveiled on Aug. 20, is expected to keep defense…
Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan Sign Mecca Defense Pact
Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement on Friday at Al-Safa Palace in Mecca, establishing a trilateral security framework among the three countries. The agreement builds on the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement signed by Saudi Arabia and Pakistan in September 2025, extending that bilateral framework into…
U.S.-Ukraine Intelligence Sharing Returns to Pre-2025 Levels
U.S. intelligence sharing with Ukraine has rebounded to its pre-suspension levels, Politico reported Wednesday, citing U.S. lawmakers and officials. The renewed cooperation comes as Kyiv expands its campaign of long-range drone and missile strikes against military and industrial targets deep inside Russia.Sen. Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intelligence…
Japan Links Rearmament to Economic Revival
Japan's government has recast its accelerating military buildup as a driver of national prosperity, arguing in its 2026 defense white paper that defense investment can support startups, absorb commercial technologies and expand the country's industrial base alongside strengthening national security. Rather than presenting military spending solely as a response to…
