Europe

The United States is conducting a significant review of its military forces and commitments in Europe, driven by concerns that some NATO allies are not meeting their defense spending targets. US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has indicated that US contributions to NATO's budget may be contingent on other countries fulfilling their financial obligations, suggesting an "era of free-riding" is over. This review, expected to last up to six months, aims to assess US force posture and basing, with the ultimate goal of encouraging Europe to take greater responsibility for its own security and leadership within NATO, potentially ushering in a "NATO 3.0" reboot. Concurrently, Europe is grappling with the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, as Ukraine seeks support from the US and Europe to end the war, and is also facing internal issues such as discrimination against the Romani population, which some activists describe as a new blueprint for discrimination across the continent. Historically, Europe has also been impacted by ancient diseases like the plague, which caused devastating outbreaks centuries ago.