Europe needs its own plan for Ukraine and for its own security or its future will be decided by other powers, the Polish Prime Minister said on Saturday.
The issue with that is that the production of arms in the EU is next non-existent when compared to Russia and the US. Europe has been heavily de-industrialized and already has problems covering its energy budget. You can’t just throw money at that problem, because you don’t just need to rebuild factories, but infrastructure. Not to mention the brain-drain caused by academics moving to the US and China where actual research happens.
Do you have numbers for your first claim? I don’t think you are right with that. Many European countries just don’t keep the weapons they produce, like Germany for example. Germany is often among the world’s top 5 or even top 3 arms exporter. As far as I know France and Italy are also a big exporters.
I have not found data on arms production grouped by country, but I have found data on exports and this makes me doubt your statement. In any case, we do not have to face a war right now, considering R&D and industrialization as defense objectives could put us at the right level in perhaps a decade.
The issue with that is that the production of arms in the EU is next non-existent when compared to Russia and the US. Europe has been heavily de-industrialized and already has problems covering its energy budget. You can’t just throw money at that problem, because you don’t just need to rebuild factories, but infrastructure. Not to mention the brain-drain caused by academics moving to the US and China where actual research happens.
Do you have numbers for your first claim? I don’t think you are right with that. Many European countries just don’t keep the weapons they produce, like Germany for example. Germany is often among the world’s top 5 or even top 3 arms exporter. As far as I know France and Italy are also a big exporters.
I have not found data on arms production grouped by country, but I have found data on exports and this makes me doubt your statement. In any case, we do not have to face a war right now, considering R&D and industrialization as defense objectives could put us at the right level in perhaps a decade.
Have a read through here if you’re interested https://hir.harvard.edu/untitled-2-ready-for-combat-the-future-of-the-european-defense-industry/