Europe lives a convulsive geopolitical situation. For various factors, but aggravated after Ukraine invasion by Russia. There are too many open challenges: economic pressures, commercial and technological confrontation due to the Commercial War with China (who has caught electric car already ASML in between), disunity between member states and the growing tensions with the United States.
All this has been intensified in recent weeks and the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, is clear about the way: rearm Europe.
To a scrambled river … For his second term as president of the United States, Donald Trump has arrived with everything. In issues related to Europe, the billionaire has ruled on Tariffs to European productsbut has also shown interest in get with Greenland already Ukraine War. That idea of getting with Greenland caused a Danish response movement so that The country will buy California
On the other hand, the intention to achieve peace in Ukraine is not an altruistic movement. An objective is to stop investing in security in foreign countries. Another, power Control rare earth deposits. The reports of your presence in Ukrainian soil They seem to be outdatedbut that does not stop the ambitions of a Trump that starred last weekend A curious act with Ukrainian President Volodimir Zelenski.
The gresca. On February 28 we witnessed an unusual event: a encounter between Zelenski, Trump and JD Vance, vice president of the United States. If something was clear after the heated debate Television in Prime Time is that both leaders have a total lack of tune (before it already declared that it was difficult to reach an agreement with Zelenski and Lo Lo called “dictator”). But perhaps it is more than a lack of understanding among the leaders of two countries.
You cannot count on the US. The reason is that, after the event, Europe has closed rows Around Ukraine. Different European leaders have shown support to the Ukrainian leader, with quick responses such as Pedro Sánchez and Feijóo supporting the European country. The American response has not taken long to arrive. A few hours ago, Donald Trump ordered paralyze military aid to Ukraine as a punishment for Friday’s encounter.
“Rearm Europe“. The anger among the leaders, who looked like an enclosure in the White House, promoted a feeling in networks among European users: you cannot count on the United States, and Europe has to act to deal with external threats. And it is not a popular runrún, but something that, from the European Commission itself, has just supported.
President Ursula von der Leyen has signed a release urging member states to join the European Rearme Plan: Rearm Europe. In it, it begins by expressing two important issues: that Europe is threatened in a “real and tangible” and that it must “assume a greater responsibility for its own security.”
The Ukraine War is that of drones … and robots
Beyond Ukraine. After different meetings in recent weeks, the community has concluded that “massively increase defense spending”. The president refers to the situation in Ukraine and states that this measure must be taken with “immediate urgency” to support the European country, but must also be addressed to fulfill a “long -term need to assume much greater responsibility for our own security.”
The plan. Thus, he has sent a letter to European leaders to raise this issue before the European Council to be held this Thursday. In it, and at the meeting, the option of using “all financial mechanisms will be discussed at reach to help member states quickly and significantly increase their expenses in defense capacities.”
The intention of Von der Leyen is that it is immediate and urgent, but that it is formalized throughout this decade.
Show me the money. Of course, this type of movements require considerable investment. United States, without going any further, will invest 850,000 million dollars in defense -40% of global military spending. The way Europe would have to catch up, according to the president, is:
- Release the use of public funds in defense nationwide, allowing member states to have fiscal margin to be able to invest without activating the excessive deficit procedure. According to the statement, if the states increased their defense expenditure by 1.5% of the average GDP, a fiscal margin of almost 650,000 million euros would be generated in four years.
- Activate an instrument that provides loans of up to 150,000 million euros to invest in defense. Under the mantra “spend better and spend together”, von der Leyen clarifies that investment in air defense, antimiles, artillery systems, missiles, ammunition, cybersecurity, military mobility and something that the war of Ukraine has brought to the table should be reinforced: the war with drones and the defense against those drones.
- Redirect funds to investments related to incentive defense for Member States to decide, if they wish, use cohesion policy programs to increase defense spending.
- Finally, the option of obtaining funds through the European Investment Bank, but also with measures to mobilize private capital.
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NATO message. Among all the noise generated these days, it has survived the idea that United States abandons the United Nations Organization. The North American country is one of those who best fulfill their obligations In this sense and, recently, voices that cry out that the country should leave NATO have been raised. Elon Musk, part of Trump’s government, been One of them.
The agreements stipulate that, if someone attacks an NATO country, the rest must immediately mobilize, but the latest movements of the United States and comments such as that of which They will not be foreverThey don’t help.
In the statement, von der Leyen comments that the plan Rearm Europe “It could mobilize about 800,000 million euros for a safe and resilient Europe,” but the NATO tends to affirm that they will continue working closely with their partners. The United States included, of course, because Siegue being a member of NATO.
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Can? That is the big question: if military investment is increased, does Europe have muscle to manufacture? The answer is that yes and, in fact, no lever has been necessary for European arms companies to have increased production and its growth.
The Spanish Indra, Expal, ITP Aero or Gdels They increased his turnover in 2023; The POLACA PGZ -of the largest defense of Central Europe- grew 14% in 2022 compared to the previous year; The German Rheinmetall has also seen driven your income thanks to your ammunition and tanks production; French Dassault Aviation more of the same with her hunt Rafale.
Other remarkable are the Italian Leonardo, the Spanish Navantia, the French Airbus, Naval Group or Thales, the Norwegians Nammo or Kongsberg Grouppen or the Czechs Colt CZ Group and CSG, among others.
World rearme. Now, although we are talking about a European rearma, the truth is that it is not so strange if we take into account events in recent years, beyond what was commented with the United States.
China is considerably increasing its Military spendingwith the advance in virtually all areas of defense and with a particular impulse in the Nuclear Armament Development. And even Japan, who had 70 years of demilitarization, announced two years ago a ambitious rearme plan.
“This is the moment of Europe. And we are prepared to step forward. ” This is how von der Leayen closes the enlightening statement and it seems that it is only a matter of time for the different countries of the European Union to begin to treat the details of the initiative.
Images | European Commission, Rheinmetall
In Xataka | First it was a cut underwater cable. 24 hours later Taiwan has found a China Army in front of the island
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Xataka
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Alejandro Alcolea
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