President Donald Trump partially walked back his claim that NATO troops in Afghanistan stayed "off the front lines," but veterans aren't likely to forget the remarks

Births in Türkiye fell again in 2025, continuing a decline that has put NATO's youngest population on a course President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has called a "demographic disaster."

NATO's ability to deter Russia has taken a huge hit as trust within the alliance erodes. European allies and Canada are investing billions to support Ukraine and boost defense budgets.

BRUSSELS, Jan 29 (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is not expected to attend a NATO defence ministers' meeting in Brussels next month, two sources said, the second time in a row a Trump administration official has skipped a gathering of the military alliance.

The operation, Steadfast Dart, comes as President Trump has been accused of undermining the alliance and will be watched closely to see how well the allies manage without their most important partner.

Trump's NATO challenges push European defense spending pledges, but analysts say continent still lacks command experience to operate independently.

Sebastian Halmagean, a gunner from Hamilton, Ontario, died in Latvia.

Mark Rutte, the secretary general of the alliance, told members of the European Parliament that President Trump was “doing a lot of good stuff.”

European veterans, families of the fallen, and politicians are voicing outrage over Trump's claim NATO allies stayed behind the front lines in Afghanistan.

NATO’s unity and deterrence are under strain as US rhetoric unsettles allies, defence spending surges fail to restore trust, and Russia watches closely for signs of weakness within the alliance.

The president's comments come amid increasing tensions between the U.S., Denmark and NATO allies after Trump floated military action and threatened to impose tariffs on European countries that oppose his quest to have the U.S. take control of the Danish territory of Greenland.