Three years ago, Russia's full -fledged invasion of Ukraine was convinced to European leaders that they needed more money to defend. On Monday, the European Union and the leaders from all over the United Kingdom will discuss the troublesome questions of how to meet in Brussels and pay.
It is a more serious concern that President Trump returned to the White House.
The United States is the biggest military fund provider of Ukraine's efforts, but Trump has proposed to quickly withdraw US financial and military support and leave it to Europeans. He also claims that NATO countries also plan to increase defense spending to 5 % of the annual economic production and to achieve their goals at the next summer meeting this summer. I did.
The United States itself is only about 3.4 % of the gross domestic product.
Along with the war, the European Union, established in free trade and named the “Peace Project”, has been dedicated by deterrence and defense. Currently, we are in a hurry to expand the defense industry and make expenditures more efficient and cooperative. The prime minister of Keel in the UK will attend a gathering on Monday. This is the first time since the British leader left the European Union, which met 27 leaders in Brussels blocks.
Part of the debate is whether the European Union will be able to collect more funds to pay for defense through general debt, as it was done to fight the community.
But this problem is troublesome. Such a joint funding may hinder the members' efforts to satisfy the individual demands of the NATO Alliance already making them. Of the 27 EU countries we meet in the closing session on Monday, 23 are members of NATO.
General Christopher G. Kaburi, the leader of Europe's NATO alliance, has set his ability for the first time since the Cold War. The US General has given NATO member states on specific requirements for equipment and power levels and how to respond to Russia's invasion.
Europe has important factors in Europe, including integrated air and missile defense, long -distance precision artillery and missile, inter -fuel supply tankers currently provided only by the United States. There is a consensus that is there. Analysts say that Europe takes at least five or ten years to exchange these systems.
European countries also want to reduce duplication. For example, Ukraine has been sending at least 17 kinds of bochers, but not all use the same type of shell.
When Russia threatens from the east and Trump's support threatens west, European leaders agree that we need to adjust and expand military resources. However, branching the priority of competing budgets with national interests means that it is difficult to re -form European defense and is expensive and long.
And important countries on the east side, such as Poland and Baltic countries, want to do as much as possible in the United States to continue engaging in NATO and Europe.
Monday Summit is the first step. The EU leaders discuss military funds and joint procurement, and Mark Rutte, Starmer and Secretary -General of NATO. The goal is to have the top diplomat on the continent, Caj Carlow, and its new defense committee members, to make a special plan, especially in order to make a specific plan. is.
He also stated that this conference was symbolic as a symbolic importance of Europe seriously receiving long -term threats from Russia and taking the need to reduce military dependence on the United States. 。
“This is important for Europeans,” said Alexandra de Hoop Chefer, a representative of the German Marshall Fund. “Because they have a war on their continents, they have no choice.”
She said it would be a “generation struggle” to split the United States from NATO and divide both the Alliance and the European Union. “But our political leaders failed to explain to the younger generation why the alliance is important and why Ukraine is important to win the war,” she said.
The European relationship with Washington is also an agenda on Monday, including how to deal with Trump's request. Authorities hoped that there is a debate to address his claim that he wants to acquire Greenland. The island is a Danish autonomous territory, both EU member countries and NATO allies. Denmark and Greenland leaders say that territories are not sold and are not handed over to the United States.
Greenland's problem emphasizes how dramatically the relationship with Washington Europe has changed.
However, there are still some shocks in Europe.
“Nobody is seriously thinking or literally,” said Jacob Funk Kirkegor, a Brugel's senior fellow, a Brussels think tank, is studying the Talnic Relationships in Europe. “No one wants to do so because we need to reconsider the world as we know.”
Latte -like leaders emphasize that the continent cannot be realized alone without the United States, but the goal is to be more self -sufficient.
EU countries have recently increased military spending. They spent an estimated $ 3400 billion in defense in 2024 and increased by 30 % compared to 2021. At least 23 of the 32 NATO members are currently spending more than 2 % of the NATO's goal of 2 % of the gross domestic product. Latte has revealed that 2 % are floors, not the ceiling, and this year new standards will be set.
Along with Ukraine and Russian President Vrademir V. Putin, who is busy with his army, European and NATO officials probably have 3-7 years of window before Putin is tempted to test the NATO Alliance. I'm thinking.
It is not easy to find a fix to boost and adjust Europe's defense spending.
“This logic indicates that joint procurement is needed,” said Janis Emmani Lidis, a researcher in charge of the European Policy Center. However, there are barriers, such as the self -interest of the people who contradict the lack of trust with the nation. “It protects the national industry and protects the sovereign to make a decision,” he said.
Regarding joint procurement, there is also a problem of financing method. The joint fund program is clearly on the agenda, but what you might see is different.
It may mean a group of money in a group of Europeans between the 2020 Coronavir Spandemic. Funds may be obtained from a vehicle supported by European Investment Bank, a loan section of the European Union, or a group of countries other than block structure.
In last week's joint letter, 19 European countries said that banks should “provide investment funds and explore further ways to play a stronger role in using private funds in security and defense sector.” I mentioned.
This letter proposed a serious discussion of “specific and assigned debt issuance” for defense projects. At present, major member states such as Germany and the Netherlands have refused the idea of collective borrowing for defense, and the EIB is prohibited from rigorously making a loan for military use.
Serious European defense must include the UK, a member of the UN Security Council. This is the main reason that Mr. Starge was invited to attend. He emphasizes security cooperation with the European Union as a way to bring the UK after Brexit to block.
Mark Landler has contributed to London's report.
