EU preparing to redirect billions of euros from budget to military spending – reports

The European Union is reportedly preparing to reallocate billions of euros from its budget, originally intended to reduce economic inequality, towards defense and security, according to the Financial Times.

The news agency noted that €392 billion ($418 billion) was allocated for reducing economic inequality in the current EU budget plan for 2021-2027, yet less than 5% of this has been spent over nearly four years.

In the coming weeks, EU countries will reportedly be informed that funds from the cohesion fund may be redirected to support the defense industry.

Andrius Kubilius, appointed in September as European Commissioner for Defense and Space, previously stated that the EU should strengthen its own defense industry, anticipating that the United States will focus on confronting China in the coming decades.

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🇷🇺🇨🇳 Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi are meeting in Beijing on November 12 for the 19th round of the annual China-Russia strategic security consultations.

Shoigu is on a working visit to China on November 11-14.

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Russia and China to hold crucial talks after Putin touts bilateral ties

Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu will meet Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing for talks that will focus on strategic security.

The two officials are expected to discuss current issues of international and regional security, as well as bilateral cooperation, according to the Russian Security Council.

"The aim of the current consultations is to implement the important consensus reached by the Russian and Chinese leaders at their meetings this year, as well as to have an in-depth exchange of views and coordinate positions on bilateral relations and key issues affecting the strategic security interests of the two countries, so as to enhance mutual trust," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a briefing on Monday.

Shoigu, who is currently on a four-day working visit to China, will also hold talks with Chen Wenqing, a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, later this week.

During the visit, the Russian Security Council Secretary will also attend the Airshow China 2024 international airshow in Zhuhai, where Russia's fifth-generation Su-57 fighter jet will be demonstrated abroad for the first time.

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📹The Russian Vityazi Aerobatics Group performs at the Zhuhai Air Show with its Su-35S multirole fighter jets

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🔸Russia and China to hold crucial talks

🔸Trump reportedly offers Rep. Mike Waltz role as National Security Adviser

🔸How LGBT* ideology is being unleashed on European youths

🔸North Korea ratifies Treaty on Strategic Partnership with Russia – reports

🔸Global South quantified: Russia-Africa trade in figures

*banned in Russia as an extremist organization

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Trump has chosen South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to be secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, CNN reports
 
The DHS oversees US Customs and Border Protection, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, US Federal Emergency Management Agency, and US Secret Service.

The president-elect has already appointed Stephen Miller as his deputy chief of staff for political affairs, Elise Stefanik as ambassador to the United Nations, and offered Rep. Mike Waltz the post of national security adviser.

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Here's what Trump had to say about Rubio back in 2015.

What changed?

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🇷🇺Russian frigate conducts exercises in English Channel
 
The frigate of the Northern Fleet Admiral Golovko has completed the passage of the English Channel and is proceeding to perform tasks in the Atlantic Ocean.
 
The crew of the Russian frigate is conducting exercises to ensure the functionalities of its anti-aircraft and anti-submarine defense systems, as well as its capabilities to diverge from dangerous targets in the strait zone under difficult conditions.

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❗️Ukrainian forces lost up to 470 militants and a Leopard tank as a result of the actions of the Russian Tsentr Battlegroup
 
🇷🇺🪖 More statements from the Russian Defense Ministry's daily briefing on the special military operation's progress:
 
🔸The Russian Dnepr combat group eliminated a Ukrainian field ammunition depot. Ukrainian losses amounted to 70 soldiers;
 
🔸Ukrainian losses amounted to 150 soldiers and a tank as a result of the actions of the Russian Vostok combat group;
 
🔸The Russian Yug Battlegroup repelled five Ukrainian counterattacks, with the enemy losses amounting to 765 militants;
 
🔸Ukrainian troops lost up to 60 soldiers in the area of responsibility of the Russian Sever Battlegroup;
 
🔸Russian air defense systems shot down six HIMARS MLRS shells and 71 Ukrainian drones.

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