As defense budgets increase across the continent, differences between national procurement strategies and blockages of emblematic projects raise questions about Europe’s ability to transform declared political unity into credible deterrence.
In a context where Washington signals a reduced willingness to maintain the dominant role in the transatlantic security architecture, and Russia extends its military production beyond the needs of the war in Ukraine, European governments have increased defense spending. However, instead of converging around common planning and procurement, the member states of the European Union largely follow national approaches.
Euractiv warns that this fragmentation deepens the difference between political rhetoric about unity and operational reality on the ground.
Expenditures increase, coordination lags
The President of Ukraine, Volodimir Zelenski, has repeatedly urged Europe to strengthen its defense posture. At Davos, he stated that “Europe must know how to defend itself,” while also criticizing European governments for not prioritizing security investments earlier.
However, the problem is not just about the volume of spending, but also about their coherence.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has encouraged European allies to “take the lead” in managing regional threats. Rearmament has thus become a test of the credibility of collective defense within NATO. However, planning remains uneven, and procurement strategies vary considerably between states.
France, Germany, and Italy – which host some of the largest European arms manufacturers – have preferred bilateral agreements that keep industrial control at the national level, to the detriment of deep coordination at the European level. According to the analysis, this approach undermines the implementation of common initiatives such as the “Roadmap for European Defense”.
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