European nations are increasingly reassessing their military capabilities and financial commitments to determine whether the continent can sustain collective defense independently of the United States. While several European NATO allies have raised their defense budgets to meet or exceed the target of two percent of gross domestic product, substantial shortfalls persist in logistics, air defense, and strategic enablers. Replacing American military support would require significant long-term investments, presenting complex fiscal challenges for governments balancing defense expansion with domestic economic priorities.
- European NATO members have accelerated military spending increases following heightened security concerns along the continent’s eastern flank.
- Critical capability gaps for European armed forces include strategic transport, intelligence and surveillance infrastructure, and advanced air and missile defense systems.
- Fragmentation within the European defense industrial base remains an obstacle, leading to duplicated development efforts and procurement inefficiencies.
- Sustaining fully independent defense capabilities would require sustained multi-billion-euro funding commitments across national budgets.
- Governments face domestic economic constraints as higher defense allocations compete with welfare, infrastructure, and other public spending obligations.
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Because Europe has no Defence Companies Complex 😂😂😂and US has many Defence Technologies Patents😂😂😂
We have money to spend on defence we spend 420 billion on Christmas presents in Europe the problem is lobbying and insider trading that prevents the defence industry from being efficient and effective there should be a war game still simulation where things are tested and the best equipment goes on to be sold to the European countries
Time to change… Develop better, cheaper weapon systems..
reality, europe is still glad to be US slave in ranks.
Its a mistake for Europe to move away from the US. As it is a mistake if the US moves away from Europe.
Trump is a disaster, but he is COMPLETELY spot on that Europe has taking advantage of US security with a pretty cheap input ourselfs. Nobody can deny that.
And it is time to take responsibility in Europe. But still keep the US as an ally. Trump is soon gone.
10:30 how about getting MdCN in lieu of tomahawks ? That would be more european isn't it ?
PRESIDENT TRUMP TOLD YOU IN HIS FIRST TERM ..YOU LAUGHED AT HIM ..ABOUT NATO % OF GDP AND SUCKING ON RUSSIAN ENERGY
America has only been asking Europe to maintain a military force for fifty years…
You have to understand that different regions and goals resulting in different military procurement demands.
If the U.S. isn’t there, Europe will struggle against Russia too. It’ll just mean the entire Western Europe is destroyed. Looking at Western Europe’s military equipment output,
it’s woefully inadequate in sheer numbers
Why Europe is still sending billions to America for its defense? Because we are vassals.
Europe has been consumed by cultural Marxism. I’m not sure it’s reversible. Europeans have for decades been taught to hate themselves out of existence. Thinking otherwise brands one as “far right”.
Here's a more reasonable question:
Will Don Snoreleone still be alive by the end of his term? 🤡
Buying american military hardware is NOT independence, especially concerning planes, the US can just stop supporting the regular maintenance schedules and then those birds are grounded.
It definetely can’t afford to keep a high military budget AND a dependency on US arms imports.
It’s either or. If we’re dimilitarized then sure might as well import the few weapons we buy but once that few becomes a lot imports become too expensive and unreliable as foreign companies can hardly meet demand when needed in a crisis whereas domestic companies would just go into war production under demand.
IT’S AS IF 3 ULTRA SOY BOYS COULD DECIDE ON A PLACE TO HAVE BRUNCH WITHOUT 45 HOURS OF NEGOTIATIONS
That's called Stockholm syndrome. 😅
'defense ecosystem'. Why do these pundits continue to use such meaningless buzzwords? There is only one ecosystem and it's nature's own!
Like Europe has a choice. We have to move on without the former ally, the USA. That doesn't mean we can't find new allies though since the USA has bullied about the whole world and there's plenty that still believe in a rules based system
Why? That's what vassals do.
EU so delusional? All the USA needs to do is tell the EU to pull down their pants and get spanked by the USA. These equipment spare parts can get sanctioned, software updates withheld, kill switches, eventually end up with billions dollar weapon that is useless.
Develop domestic sources, but import to cover the gap until the domestics are available?
The consequences of poking the bear
Rutte: europe keeps dreaming, good luck!
I get a little confused with this channel, so I’ll ask a question. The title says can Europe, should the title not be saying Germany?, Because we have a German politician running the EU very very badly , we have a bunch of incompetent politicians running Germany very, very badly , we have a bunch of unions running Germany very very badly , and we have a bunch of churches controlling Germany very, very badly , so should we not be asking the question can Germany defend itself against itself? , And leave the rest of Europe out of this.
German government is foolish.
The Orcs will attack the Free World in 5-10 years. In that timeframe, we need to buy, buy, buy. The more we get our hands on, the easier Europe can fight off the fascists.. But if we have a choice, then we should not depend on America. That ship has sailed.
hope you're not planning ANOTHER Holocaust Germany
you should be ASHAMED the AdF even exist there
Independence , sovereignty and deterrence are not luxury , they are THE basic necessities of any society and civilization.
Since eu article 42 is so much more binding than nato article 5 the eu can be the only solution. This US administration will no be the last that is trying to blackmail Europe into taking part in conflicts we have no interest in being involved. Also, to get to the strategic argument being mentioned by the american guest, we need to get our politicians to see Russia as what it is, our enemy and the enemy of the free world. So we have to prepare our people and throw out of the eu those countries that are working as Putin’s willful assistance.
Europe is always talking about what we can do for them or how we owe them this or that, simply because they exist but they never ask what they can do for anyone else. It’s always them expecting people to look out for them above anything else.
Buying military gear from the USA means you are safe. From the USA.
Yes
Colonies never ask why, they just do.
EU defense industry is growing at a 20% yoy rate since 2021. Artillery shell production increased from 300k to 2 million a year.
Europe becoming independent of arms imports is not a matter of if only a matter of when, in 2024 the EU defense industry generated €148 billion in revenue. Tens of billions more than what the EU members spent on buying weapons aka the EU is a net weapon exporter already it’s only a matter of increasing production towards domastic demand.
😂 simple answer.
Learn Rushan
Europe must take responsibility and defend itself; financially, troops, hardware and supplies