NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has delivered a gentle reminder that being in a military alliance means you're supposed to, you know, actually contribute to the collective defense. Speaking alongside Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, Rutte noted that NATO spending on Ukraine is "not evenly distributed" - with a "limited" group of countries (Sweden, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark) doing the heavy lifting, while many others are apparently just along for the ride.
Kristersson, apparently tired of Sweden being the third-largest donor while others clap from the sidelines, said: "We need to be long term and firm in our support. So I really would like more countries that speak so extremely well about Ukraine to also put the money where the mouth is." A novel concept, really.
Over in Hungary, the new government under Péter Magyar has submitted a constitutional amendment that would limit prime ministers to a maximum of eight years in office - effectively barring Viktor Orbán, who has spent 20 years in power across five terms, from ever returning. The draft amendment, submitted just over a week after the new government took office, marks the first step in dismantling the constitution Orbán and his Fidesz party rewrote more than a dozen times to create what they proudly called a "petri dish for illiberalism." The amendment applies retroactively to 1990, meaning Orbán's 20-year tenure comfortably disqualifies him. Analysts note, however, that any future leader with a supermajority could simply amend the amendment, because democracy is a process, not a final destination.
Meanwhile, Estonia has summoned Russia's top diplomat in Tallinn to protest what it called a "continued disinformation campaign" against the Baltic states. Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna said Estonia has "repeatedly stressed" it has not permitted its territory or airspace to be used for attacks against Russia, adding that "messages claiming otherwise are yet another example of Russian propaganda that is false, and they know it." The ministry also noted that drones appearing in Baltic airspace are "a direct consequence of Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine."
Poland's Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski echoed the sentiment, stating: "There is no acceptance for Russia's threats against our allies. You have no right to falsely accuse the Baltic States. It is clear who the aggressor is and who the victim is."
In a related development, Russian President Vladimir Putin announced that joint nuclear drills with Belarus had been "fully completed," though he insisted nuclear weapons remain a "last resort" measure. Because nothing says "last resort" like a joint nuclear drill with your closest authoritarian buddy.
Greece's Defence Minister Nikos Dendias, meanwhile, is demanding Ukraine issue "a big apology" after a Ukrainian-made sea drone packed with explosives was found in a cave on the island of Lefkada. Dendias said there was "not the slightest doubt" the drone was Ukrainian, describing it as "extremely dangerous." He warned that if any cruise ship had been traveling from Venice to the eastern Mediterranean on the same course, "the ship would have sunk to the bottom of the sea." Dendias stressed that while Greeks understand defending one's homeland, "put[ting] the lives of innocent people at risk ... because they believe that this serves their strategic planning" is "utterly unacceptable."
EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius accused the Kremlin of using intimidation tactics against Baltic nations to test their commitment to Ukraine. He said Moscow "is becoming nervous" and "radicalises in its hybrid attacks" as the situation on the frontline worsens. Putin, Kubilius argued, wants Baltic citizens "to start to hesitate about continuing their support to Ukraine." The answer, he said, should be to continue supporting Ukraine and increase defence spending - though he acknowledged that existing drone detection systems in the Baltic region "are still not up to that level" and need urgent upgrades.
Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen has changed his mind on appointing a European envoy for Ukraine, now backing the idea after previously opposing it. "We have too many presidents," he told Politico. "We need a face, and first and foremost, we need a new mindset. We are still thinking that we are living in peacetime, but we are not." He noted that Trump, Putin, and Xi Jinping "don't take us seriously as long as they don't know who is actually representing Europe." Potential candidates include Angela Merkel, Sauli Niinistö, António Costa, and Kaja Kallas - because nothing says "unified European leadership" like a list of names that will inevitably spark a turf war.
In a move that definitely isn't part of a broader pressure campaign against the Baltics (wink), Belarus lodged a protest with Lithuania over an alleged drone incursion from Lithuania - without, as far as anyone can tell, providing any evidence.
Finally, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has proposed granting Ukraine "associate membership" in the EU - essentially participation in EU institutions without voting rights - to accelerate the accession process and bolster peace talks. Under the plan, Ukraine would attend summits, be represented in the European Commission, Parliament, and Court of Justice, but couldn't cast a vote. Merz argued that full accession "will not be able to complete ... shortly, given the countless hurdles as well as the political complexities of ratification processes," but associate membership would "help facilitate the ongoing peace talks as part of a negotiated peace solution." Ukraine would not immediately receive EU funds but would gain access to programmes step by step, and would be covered by the EU's mutual assistance clause. Merz wants EU leaders to discuss the idea at the next summit in June - the first to be attended by Hungary's new prime minister, Péter Magyar, who has already signaled a new approach to Ukraine, unlike his predecessor Viktor Orbán, who blocked accession talks entirely.