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The government plans to increase its investment in air and missile defence to 2.3% of gross national income by 2029.

Luxembourg will raise its defence spending by 0.1 percentage points annually through 2029, bringing military expenditure to 2.3% of gross national income (GNI) within three years, Defence Minister Yuriko Backes announced on Wednesday. The move comes as NATO allies face mounting pressure to increase military investment following Russia's invasion of Ukraine and ahead of the alliance's summit in Ankara this July.

In a statement, Backes said the increase represented what she described as a "reasonable response" to the current geopolitical climate while remaining proportionate to Luxembourg's national realities.

The plan aligns Luxembourg with commitments made by NATO allies at the 2025 Hague summit, where member states agreed to work toward spending 5% of GDP – or GNI in Luxembourg's case – on defence and broader security measures by 2035. That target includes 3.5% for core defence spending and 1.5% for related security investments.

Also today

• A person is in a life-threatening condition after a physical altercation at a reception centre for international protection applicants in Kirchberg
• SNHBM director Guy Entringer has cautioned that the government's plan to purchase parts of off-plan developments, raises complex legal questions.
• Opposition parties have sharply criticised Luc Frieden's State of the Nation address, arguing that it failed to connect with the everyday realities of citizens.
• The EU finally reached a deal today to implement its side of a nearly year-old trade pact with the United States
• British leader Keir Starmer has defended a contentious move to ease sanctions on imports of Russian jet fuel and diesel
• Russia's Vladimir Putin is visiting China's Xi Jinping in Beijing on Wednesday as the two leaders seek to reinforce their alliance 
• The risk from a deadly Ebola outbreak high in central Africa but remains low globally, the World Health Organization said today

On air

Tom was a busy boy today interviewing Amble - who are opening for Dermot Kennedy - and then Sleepy Donkeys, to catch up and listen to their new track!

Figure of the day

The number of resident jobseekers in Luxembourg rose by 8.3% year-on-year to 20,140 in April, while the Unemployment rate remains steady at 6.3%

• Luxembourg posted an unemployment rate of 6.3% in April 2026. The National Employment Agency (ADEM) has taken the opportunity to remind the public which professions are most sought after – both by jobseekers and by employers.
• As of 30 April 2026, the number of resident jobseekers receiving full unemployment benefit stood at 10,181, a year-on-year decrease of 4.4%. Regarding non-residents, there were 4,297 available non-resident jobseekers at the end of April, representing a 22% year-on-year increase.

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