Recently, with Ukraine's visit to the United States to seek new assistance, the United States has begun to question Europe's overall defense strength, emphasizing the potential threat posed by Russia, while criticizing the weak performance of European allies in terms of homeland security.
According to the American newspaper Wall Street**, Europe's military power is perceived to be weakening, and the arms stockpiles are empty, almost describing as falling into a state of slumber, which raises concerns. The report cited a number of countries as examples and pointed out one of the main military allies of the United States.
1. The United Kingdom, Europe's largest defense spender, has only about 150 deployable tanksFrance, Europe's second-largest defense spender, has less than 90 heavy artillery pieces, about the same amount as Russia loses each month on the battlefield in Ukraine.
The article also contrasts Europe with Asia, noting that Britain is far less militarily powerful than Russia, China, and India, and that France is dwarfed by South Korea, Pakistan, and Japan.
In addition, the report also pointed out that budget cuts and the weakening of ** industry have led to the hollowing out of Europe's military power, especially after the outbreak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, this trend has become more significant. Not only was Britain and France militarily weak, but Denmark lacked heavy artillery, submarines and air defense systems;The ammunition of the German ** team was only enough to last two days of fighting;The Netherlands disbanded its last tank unit in 2011;After the end of the Cold War, most European countries abolished conscription.
The report also mentioned that the head of the armed forces of the German parliament said earlier that there was a "all-round shortage" of the German ** team, and the military base not only lacked ** and ammunition, but also lacked infrastructure, such as usable toilets and the Internet. Even armed *** troops waited a whole decade to be equipped with helmets.
Anthony King, a professor at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom, points out that the lack of a clear threat, combined with the US military dominance around the world, has led to the "systematic demilitarization of European countries because they do not have to spend military spending" and are essentially in a state of silence.
Sluggish economic growth, budget constraints, an aging population, and domestic backlash against cuts in welfare spending to increase defense spending have made it quite challenging for most European countries to try to change the situation.
In addition, the article highlights the strong military power and continued defense spending of the United States since the end of the Cold War, which has allowed the United States to support NATO and European defense policy, but at the same time, Europe's allies have gradually become lax. Last year, the United States accounted for nearly 70% of NATO's defense spending, leading to "the weakening of European armies connived by Western countries."
The article delves into the potential risks posed: Russia's invasion of Ukraine has dragged on for nearly two years as the United States moves increasingly toward isolationism, raising renewed attention and concern about the "potential Russian threat to Europe."
Although Russia is currently constrained by the Russia-Ukraine conflict and does not pose a direct military threat to Europe for the time being, the article raises the possibility that if Russia finally wins, it is very likely that they will fully rebuild their armaments in the next 3-4 years, and at that time they may cause trouble in other regions.
Former NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen from Denmark noted: "Ukraine is currently facing an ongoing war, and if we do not take ammunition production seriously, the threat of war could be even closer to us." ”
In the US Senate vote on the 6th of this month, a spending bill totaling $110 billion was vetoed, which includes funds for military aid to Ukraine and Israel. The bill plans to provide Ukraine with $61 billion (437.1 billion yuan) in aid. Republican U.S. senators collectively opposed the bill because of their dissatisfaction with U.S.-Mexico border policy. At the same time, the new round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict has shifted the political focus of the United States from Ukraine to the Gaza Strip.
The White House has warned that it will not be able to continue to provide Ukraine with ** and equipment if the U.S. Congress does not approve additional appropriations by the end of the year.
Wall Street** has once again criticized Europe, accusing it of failing to keep its aid promises. While promising billions of dollars in aid to Kyiv, EU countries said they were facing economic and production constraints. If the United States reduces aid, it will be difficult for Europe to make up for its shortcomings, and it will also be difficult to revitalize its military capabilities.
The report pointed out that the European Union had promised to provide Ukraine with 1 million artillery shells by the spring of this year, but so far only about a third have been delivered.
Dutch Admiral Rob Power, chairman of NATO's military committee, said in October that the ammunition Europe could supply to Ukraine had reached a "bottom" state.
In 2014, NATO members agreed to halt cuts and gradually increase defense spending, reaching the target of 2% of GDP within a decade. However, by this year, only 11 NATO member states are expected to be able to achieve this goal, a third of the total. 100 help plan