Europe launches defense push amid Russia threat, US worries
The European Union (EU) has unveiled a new white paper outlining plans to bolster defense capabilities among member states, citing growing concerns over reliance on U.S. security guarantees and the ongoing threat from Russia.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “The international order is undergoing changes of a magnitude not seen since 1945. This is a pivotal moment for European security. It is a pivotal moment for action.”
The white paper, presented by the European Commission, builds on earlier proposals to mobilize up to €800 billion ($875 billion) through EU-guaranteed loans and relaxed fiscal rules to facilitate increased defense spending. The plan encourages EU nations to pool resources, invest in European arms production, and enhance joint defense initiatives.
Despite ongoing negotiations for peace in Ukraine, Kallas underscored that Russia remains in “full war mode,” with 40% of its federal budget dedicated to military expenditure. In response, EU nations have collectively increased defense spending by over 30% between 2021 and 2024.
Poland and the Baltic states, given their historical experiences with Soviet occupation and geographic proximity to Russia, have already exceeded NATO’s 2% GDP defense spending threshold. Germany has also taken significant steps, with lawmakers approving a major defense and infrastructure spending package.
The urgency of EU defense efforts has been heightened by shifting geopolitical dynamics, particularly the apparent rapprochement between Moscow and Washington following Donald Trump’s return to the U.S. presidency. EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius stressed that Europe must take greater responsibility for its own security, stating, “450 million EU citizens should not have to depend on 340 million Americans to defend ourselves against 140 million Russians who can’t defeat 38 million Ukrainians.”
A key aspect of the defense initiative is a proposal allowing EU states to take out centrally backed loans, fostering closer defense cooperation and standardizing military equipment. Currently, European armies operate 19 different models of main battle tanks, compared to a single model used by the U.S. Army, and 17 types of torpedoes, compared to just two in the U.S.
The white paper also includes provisions for involving non-EU countries such as the UK, Norway, Turkey, Canada, Australia, South Korea, Japan, and Ukraine. While Turkey, as an EU candidate country, can already participate in certain defense projects, a separate cooperation deal would be required for the UK following its departure from the bloc in 2020.
Despite the comprehensive nature of the proposals, some EU diplomats believe they fall short of addressing the funding challenge. “All in all, there is no big bang,” one diplomat told Reuters, noting that the plan does not include a large-scale joint borrowing initiative similar to the COVID-19 recovery fund.
Russia has condemned the EU’s defense buildup, dismissing it as an incitement to war based on an “invented story” of a Russian threat. However, EU leaders remain wary, citing similar rhetoric from Moscow before its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“If Russia is allowed to achieve its goals in Ukraine, its territorial claims will expand,” the EU Commission warned in the white paper, adding that Russia will continue to pose a fundamental threat to European security in the foreseeable future.
Credit: DW
