A new report warns how vulnerable Europe would be to a possible military threat from Russia due to how weakened its Armed Forces are and the lack of artillery.
Since the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine, concerns have increased over the possibility that Moscow will emerge victorious and decide to expand its conflicts to other parts of the world.
Although several experts agree that there does not appear to be an immediate danger for Europe, the deficit in military capabilities of key countries in the region, such as the United Kingdom, France and Germany, has generated concern.
A report from The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) states that, although Europe boasted the best Armed Forces in the world in the past, the region has reduced its investment in the military over time.
The British army, spending the most on defense in all of Europe, presents an alarming reality. With only about 150 deployable tanks and a dozen long-range artillery pieces in good condition, combat capabilities could be severely compromised.
“So bare was the cupboard that last year the British military considered sourcing multiple rocket launchers from museums to upgrade and donate to Ukraine, an idea that was dropped,” the report states.
Alarm is growing over Europe’s weakened militaries and empty arsenals. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has revealed the risk. https://t.co/U0DHeSVkze https://t.co/U0DHeSVkze
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) December 11, 2023
The situation is not much better in other European countries. France, the second largest defense investor, has fewer than 90 pieces of heavy artillery, which, according to the report, is equivalent to what Russia loses monthly in the conflict in Ukraine.
“Denmark has no heavy artillery, submarines or air-defense systems. Germany’s army has enough ammunition for two days of battle,” warns WSJ.
Europe has left military dominance to the United States
Anthony King, a professor of war studies at the University of Warwick, explained that the European region has stopped investing in its defense forces due to the lack of immediate threats that would justify spending in this area.
King stated that Europe has left military dominance to the United States and has “basically gone to sleep.”
However, the United States, which until last year accounted for almost 70% of NATO defense spending, may not be so generous in the future. In fact, former President Donald Trump has already questioned the value of the international organization on several occasions, so a change could be expected if he wins the 2024 presidential elections.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen, former Secretary General of NATO, stated that although the economic power of the countries of the international organization continues to be superior to that of Russia and its allies, the threat of war should be taken seriously if they do not begin to invest in ammunition.
