According to the report, Washington has signaled openness to extending nuclear-sharing arrangements beyond the six European countries that currently host U.S. dual-capable aircraft, which can deliver nuclear weapons.

NATO members on the alliance’s eastern flank, including Poland and some Baltic states, are reportedly interested in hosting such facilities. However, the newspaper said no agreement appears imminent and discussions remain ongoing within NATO channels.

The White House, Pentagon and NATO had not commented on the report. The discussions come as the alliance continues to assess its deterrence posture amid heightened security concerns in Europe.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missiles were fired from Jongju, a city on North Korea’s west coast, and traveled toward the sea. The military did not immediately disclose the number of missiles launched or their flight distances.

Seoul said it had strengthened its surveillance and readiness posture following the launches and was closely coordinating with the United States and Japan on intelligence assessments and monitoring activities.
The test was North Korea’s first known missile launch since April 19, when Pyongyang fired multiple short-range missiles that state media described as part of an exercise involving cluster-bomb warheads.

The latest launch extends a pattern of weapons testing that has intensified as North Korea advances its military modernization programs.
Kim has prioritized the expansion of North Korea’s nuclear arsenal and missile forces since negotiations with then-U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed in 2019 without an agreement on sanctions relief and denuclearization.

Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in reviving direct engagement with Kim. However, North Korea has largely ignored those overtures and has maintained that Washington must abandon demands for unilateral nuclear disarmament before meaningful negotiations can resume.

Relations between Pyongyang and Seoul have also deteriorated sharply. Kim has increasingly characterized South Korea as North Korea’s principal adversary and has moved to sever longstanding channels of inter-Korean cooperation and dialogue.

The missile launches came hours after South Korean President Lee Jae Myung called for accelerated efforts to strengthen the country’s defense capabilities during a Cabinet meeting. Lee highlighted the importance of investing in artificial intelligence-driven military systems, expanding drone capabilities and examining the potential acquisition of a nuclear-powered submarine.

While Lee did not directly address Tuesday’s missile launches, he emphasized the need for South Korea to demonstrate its ability to safeguard its own security interests. He said a stronger national defense posture would reinforce the country’s alliance with the United States.

The latest test is likely to draw renewed scrutiny from regional security partners as tensions on the Korean Peninsula remain elevated and diplomatic engagement between North Korea and its neighbors shows little sign of revival.

The nonpartisan budget office said in a report released Tuesday that the projection reflected “one illustrative approach rather than an estimate of a specific Administration proposal,” citing limited details from the Pentagon regarding the scale and design of the system.

Trump ordered development of the futuristic missile shield during his first week back in office through an executive order calling for a comprehensive defense network capable of countering advanced missile threats from rival powers.

“Over the past 40 years, rather than lessening, the threat from next-generation strategic weapons has become more intense and complex,” Trump said in the order, referring to evolving missile technologies developed by U.S. adversaries.

The proposed system is envisioned as a multilayered defense architecture combining ground-based and space-based technologies designed to detect, track and intercept missiles during multiple phases of flight.
The initiative draws comparisons to Iron Dome, Israel’s missile defense network that has played a central role in intercepting rockets and missiles during regional conflicts. However, analysts note the U.S. project would operate on a vastly larger geographic and technological scale.

According to the CBO report, uncertainty surrounding the number and type of systems to be deployed makes precise long-term cost forecasting difficult. Last year, the agency estimated that space-based elements alone could require up to $542 billion over 20 years.

Congress has already approved approximately $24 billion for the initiative through a broader Republican-backed tax and spending package enacted last summer.

Gen. Michael A. Guetlein, the U.S. Space Force officer overseeing the Golden Dome project, defended the program’s financial outlook during congressional testimony last month, arguing that outside estimates relied too heavily on legacy defense procurement models.

“That is not what Golden Dome is doing,” Guetlein told lawmakers. “We are laser focused on affordability.”
Democratic Senator Jeff Merkley, who requested the CBO assessment, criticized the scale of the projected expenditure, describing the missile shield initiative as a costly expansion of defense contracting.

The report is likely to intensify debate in Congress over military spending priorities as the administration pushes forward with one of the most ambitious missile defense proposals since the Cold War-era Strategic Defense Initiative.

The launches took place on Sunday from the destroyer Choe Hyon, according to the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), which said the tests were part of efforts to strengthen operational readiness and strategic deterrence.

KCNA reported that two strategic cruise missiles remained airborne for approximately 7,900 seconds, while anti-warship missiles flew for nearly 2,000 seconds. The projectiles followed designated flight paths over the West Sea of Korea, commonly known as the Yellow Sea, and struck their targets with what the agency described as high precision.

The missile tests were conducted from one of North Korea’s two 5,000-ton destroyers, both introduced last year as part of a broader push to enhance naval power. Images released by KCNA showed missiles launching from the vessel and Kim observing the drills alongside military officials.

State media also said Kim received briefings on weapons systems planned for two additional destroyers currently under construction. KCNA reported that he made an “important conclusion” following the review, without providing further detail.Kim expressed satisfaction with the tests, stating that they had strengthened the preparedness of the country’s strategic forces.

He reiterated that reinforcing nuclear deterrence remains the government’s top priority, according to the report.The latest launches add to a series of recent weapons tests by Pyongyang, underscoring continued advancements in both missile technology and maritime strike capabilities.