{
  "id": 11183698,
  "title": "Can Europe afford its defence boost? MEPs debate in The Ring",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/can-europe-afford-its-defence-boost-meps-debate-in-the-ring",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-01T11:49:27.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Euronews",
    "slug": "euronews",
    "url": "https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/01/can-europe-afford-its-defence-boost-meps-debate-in-the-ring"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "In a live debate at the Euronews Defence & Space Summit, Belgian centre-right MEP Wouter Beke and German social democrat Tobias Cremer discussed the feasibility and implications of Europe's 5% of GDP defence budget target. The two lawmakers grappled with the key question of whether the goal is necessary or merely an obsession, and the potential consequences of national control versus a European Defence Union. They explored whether Europe should strive to become self-defensive without reliance on America and the extent to which European defense should be. The panel, moderated by Méabh Mc Mahon, touched upon national vetoes, the role of the proposed European Security Council, and the financial burden of rearmament on individual nations.",
  "summary": "As security and hybrid threats are on the rise across Europe and the war in Ukraine enters its fifth year, the focus in Brussels is firmly on increasing defence spending. But who should pay, and how?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}