The geopolitical picture at the end of summer is becoming dynamically more complicated against the backdrop of looming political upheavals in Europe and a serious reshuffle at the top levels of US security. Leading world publications are signaling radical changes that could reshape security on a global scale.
The Next Nightmare for NATO: The Presidential Elections in France
The European allies in NATO are facing a new strategic nightmare related to the upcoming presidential elections in France. According to a confidential analysis by the authoritative publication Politico (politico.eu/article/nato-next-nightmare-the-french-presidential-election), fears are growing within the Alliance that the future French leader could radically change the course of security.
About half of French voters currently support radical candidates such as Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who are pushing for Paris to distance itself from the pact's structures or even exit the integrated military command. Diplomats warn that “losing France would be appalling“, as it would deprive NATO of its only nuclear aircraft carrier, a powerful navy and key intelligence satellites, shifting the burden entirely to Germany and Poland.
Berlin invests €12 billion in new long-range missile arsenal
In response to the changing security environment, Germany is taking a major step. The German government plans to allocate nearly 12 billion euros to build an entirely new arsenal of long-range weapons, another publication on Politico (dzen.ru/a/aoi5m63UpQP2d1io), based on secret documents of the German Ministry of Defense.
The program will develop in four stages, with the goal of the Bundeswehr acquiring the ability to strike command posts and airfields thousands of kilometers deep:
- First stage (2027): Purchase of cheaper cruise missiles, with the American-Israeli Anthem, as well as the Ukrainian BARS and Flamingo systems being discussed, among the options.
- Second Stage: Delivery of US Tomahawk cruise missiles and Typhon land-based launchers.
- Next phases (until the 2030s): Joint German-British development of ultra-modern cruise missiles and hypersonic planning units.
Resignation of the US Secretary of the Army after a scandal in the Pentagon
Across the ocean, the Donald Trump administration is facing a new internal shake-up. US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll is preparing to resign by the end of the year, reports The Wall Street Journal (kommersant.ru/doc/8906101).
The decision follows months of serious tension between Driscoll and Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth. The conflict escalated in April when Hegseth fired Army Chief of Staff Randy George without consultation. Sources indicate that Driscoll's family has already left the official residence and moved to North Carolina, which will leave the US military without a Senate-approved leader at a crucial time.
J.D. Vance complains about the quality of baked goods in Washington
Amidst the heavy geopolitical issues, US Vice President J.D. Vance brought a dose of humor during a working visit to his hometown of Middletown, Ohio. In front of workers at the local steel plant, he explained his apparent weight loss to the poor quality of food in the capital, the agency reports. data-processed="true" data-sfc-cp="" data-sfc-root="ep" jsaction="" jscontroller="tP2kf#s32ZS" jsuid="KgPave_1q">RIA Novosti (ont.by/ru/policy-ru/view/vens-vyrazil-nedovolstvo-kachestvom-vypechki-v-vashingtone-324293-2026).
Vance told how he stopped by a local pastry shop for a donut, where the employees asked him why he had lost so much weight. "I told them it all comes down to the low-quality, tasteless baked goods in Washington," the vice president joked.
Reuters News Brief: Debt, Migrants and the Taiwan Strait
Global News Agency Reuters reports three more key events around the world:
- Finance: The United States plans to pay $725 million in a bill to cover its accumulated debt to the United Nations (UN).
- Humanitarian crisis: A boat carrying illegal migrants capsized and sank off the coast of Tunisia. Rescue teams are conducting an operation in the Mediterranean Sea.
- Military Tensions: A US Navy patrol aircraft has flown over the sensitive Taiwan Strait, once again causing tension along the Washington axis – Beijing.
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