This report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies is published at a time when European countries are questioning the persistence of American military support for Ukraine, after the election of Donald Trump.
Published on 08/11/2024 11:20
Reading time: 2min
Europe lacks armed forces and its defense capabilities remain insufficient, according to a study by a British think tank published Friday, November 8. And this even though its spending has increased since the Russian invasion of Ukraine. This report from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) is published at a time when European countries are questioning the persistence of American military support for Ukraine, after the election of Donald Trump and calls for strengthening the defense of the continent are increasing.
The main European armed forces “remain understaffed, too many of them continuing to lose troops without sufficiently encouraging the younger generation to get involved”writes the IISS. “They continue to rely on the United States to varying degrees in all military domains”deplores this group of experts.
Certainly “European members of NATO have increased their spending by 50%” since Russia's annexation of Crimea in 2014, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has exposed many weaknesses in Europe's ability to ensure its own security. The arsenal was “severely reduced after the end of the Cold War” et “the defense industry in Europe has also contracted”according to the study.
Production in some sectors, including air defense and artillery, has, however, increased significantly since 2022 as arms manufacturers respond to Ukraine's needs. For example, Rheinmetall's annual production of 155mm ammunition increased tenfold to 700,000 units. Finally, half of the orders from European NATO countries currently go to European companies, compared to 34% for American systems.
