LONDON, Feb 19 (Reuters) - Euro zone bond yields rose

for a fourth consecutive session on Wednesday as investors

focused on potential extra borrowing to fund higher defence

spending amid U.S.-Russia talks over the war in Ukraine.

Germany's 10-year bond yield, the benchmark for

the euro zone bloc, rose 2 basis points (bps) to 2.515%, around

its highest level in more than two weeks. Yields rise as prices

fall and vice versa.

Benchmark German yields have risen around 9 bps this week

after U.S. President Donald Trump shocked allies by initiating

talks with Russia over ending the Ukraine war, and figures in

his administration said Europe will have to shoulder more of the

security burden.

That implies higher spending on defence and so higher

borrowing via bond markets, adding to upward pressure on yields.

Investors were also digesting the latest tariff threats from

Trump, who said he intends to put a roughly 25% levy on cars.

Elsewhere, UK inflation came in stronger than expected, rising

to 3% in January from 2.5% in December.

​Italy's 10-year yield was higher by 2 bps at

3.57%, and the closely watched gap between Italian and German

yields stood at 105 bps.

"Significantly higher defence spending appears to be in

store - on top of any other investment backlogs that have been

identified," said Benjamin Schroeder, senior rates strategist at

ING.

Germany's two-year bond yield was 1 bp higher at

2.145%. It has risen less than long-end bond yields as it is

more influenced by expectations about European Central Bank

interest rates than about borrowing.