Closing summary
… and on that note, it’s a wrap from me, Jakub Krupa.
Here are the three things to take away from today’s Europe Live blog:
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk dropped a hint that there are plans for European leaders to meet in London this Sunday to discuss defence and security issues (12:05). If confirmed, it would come at the end of a week in which both France’s Macron and UK’s Starmer meet Trump in Washington (12:28).
Most likely next German chancellor Friedrich Merz has confirmed that formal talks about forming a coalition government with the Social Democratic party are now under way (15:03). But he warned the SPD that they would need to shift their policy on migration (15:31), despite earlier pointed criticism from the party’s leader in talks (10:31).
British prime minister Keir Starmer announced plans to “begin the biggest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the cold war,” hoping to reach 2.5% (or 2.6% when counting new funding for intelligence and security services) GDP in 2027 (13:48). This would put the UK as the seventh highest spender (as a % of GDP) within Nato, according to 2024 figures collated by Nato and published by the British parliament. (13:50)
And that’s all from me, Jakub Krupa, for today.
If you have any tips, comments or suggestions, email me at [email protected].
I am also on Bluesky at @jakubkrupa.bsky.social and on X at @jakubkrupa.
Updated
Tesla sales in Europe fall after Musk's involvement in politics
Sales of new Tesla cars almost halved in Europe last month, indicating waning demand for the US carmaker’s vehicles as its chief executive Elon Musk intervened repeatedly in the politics on both sides of the Atlantic.
The Texas-based carmaker sold 9,945 vehicles in Europe in January, down 45% from last year’s 18,161, according to data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). Tesla’s share of the market dropped to 1% from 1.8%.
This could suggest that Musk’s interventions in European political affairs and senior role in Donald Trump’s administration defunding and depopulating the US government – including shutting down its aid programme – are leading to a consumer backlash.
