Europe inferior to Russia, China or India in terms of military resources - media
After the end of the Cold War, military spending in Europe was reduced, which led to a decline in military capabilities.
This is reported by TVP, Ukrinform reported.
Great Britain, a principal ally of the U.S. military and the largest defense spender in Europe, has limited military resources with only about 150 operational tanks and around a dozen long-range artillery pieces.
Last year, the scarcity of equipment was so acute that the British military contemplated refurbishing rocket launchers from museums for Ukraine, but this plan was abandoned.
France, another major defense spender in Europe, possesses less than 90 heavy artillery units, roughly the amount Russia reportedly loses each month in Ukraine.
Denmark lacks heavy artillery, submarines, or air defense systems. The German army is reported to have sufficient ammunition for only two days of combat.
Since the end of the Cold War, European militaries have diminished, partly because of an assumption of continued American military support under NATO. The U.S. accounted for nearly 70% of NATO’s defense spending last year.
NATO countries, despite having greater economic and industrial resources than Russia, are not producing ammunition at a rate sufficient to support Ukraine’s ongoing conflict.
In addition, there is growing concern about a more isolationist approach by the United States and the resurgence of Russia as a potential threat to Europe, especially after almost two years of war in Ukraine. While there is no direct military threat from Russia to Europe, there is concern about its ability to rearm and pose threats elsewhere.
The British army is undergoing modernization, but challenges in procurement and funding have slowed progress. The current situation highlights the need for Europe to increase its defense capabilities to address potential future threats.
As reported, US Ambassador to NATO Julian Smith said that NATO should assume that Russia is capable of new aggression and must provide its members and allies with everything necessary for defense.