BRUSSELS (AFP): Europe has ramped up defense spending since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, yet its military manpower and capabilities remain insufficient, a British security think tank warned Friday.
The International Institute for Security Studies (IISS) released its findings amid concerns about Donald Trump’s return to the White House, which could disrupt European security and jeopardize support for war-torn Ukraine.
The IISS report coincides with the Prague Defense Summit, where political leaders, military officials, and experts are meeting to discuss strengthening Europe’s defense posture.
Russia’s invasion in February 2022 exposed several weaknesses in Europe’s defense capacities, the IISS study highlighted. “Defense spending by NATO’s European members in 2024 is almost 50 percent higher than it was in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea,” it noted. Yet, Europe’s armed forces still “rely on the United States to varying degrees across all military domains,” the report warned.
Europe’s arsenal has been “severely depleted as a result of political decisions following the end of the Cold War,” which also led to a contraction in Europe’s defense industry, the study explained. However, some sectors, particularly air defense and artillery, have seen significant production increases since 2022 to meet Ukraine’s needs. For example, Germany’s defense giant Rheinmetall increased its 155 mm ammunition production tenfold to 700,000 rounds per year.
In recent years, European nations have also prioritized buying locally produced weaponry, with NATO’s European members spending more than half of their defense budgets on European systems since February 2022, compared to 34 percent on US systems.
Although weapons production is on the rise, European countries still struggle with a shortage of military personnel. “Key European armed forces remain under-strength… too many continue to lose troops, while not incentivizing enough of the younger generation to volunteer,” the IISS said.
