Europe leads to a high global defense spending, and it is true for the security deficit Military news

Europe led a record rise in defense spending last year, according to a report issued by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

European expenditures increased in real terms by 17 percent to $ 693 million, leading a global increase of 9.4 percent to $ 2.7 trillion, representing the highest level of defense spending since the fall of communism in Europe.

Sebry said on Monday that Russia’s war in Ukraine was the main driver of this new trend.

“Rapid increases in rapid spending between European NATO members were mainly driven by the constant Russian threat and concerns about the inability to decipher the United States within the coalition,” said Jayed Gipedo Ricard, a SIPRI researcher.

The heroes of that war still carry the weight of its expenses.

Russia has witnessed the largest annual increase in any one country by 38 percent, as it suffered destructive material losses in its war in Ukraine. It has spent $ 149 billion, and more than 7 percent of its economic production.

Ukraine spent its full tax income of $ 64.7 billion on its defense, and the country was deviting the largest percentage of its economy – 34 percent – for the army.

But it is clear that the American hesitation of continuing to finance Ukraine’s defense means that more burden may fall on Europe.

This may not be exhausted as it seems. The size of the European Union’s economy means that it needs to spend only 0.12 percent of GDP (GDP) to replace American military support to Ukraine, as Think Tank Bruegel was estimated last February.

“We will see more increases”

Experts told Al -Jazeera that most of them increased spending in Europe, dealt with the need to rebuild the European armies that dispel them.

“It was expected to increase, although it was still somewhat shocking to see it revealed,” said retired American colonel Seth Kromrich.

Krummesterh, who is now the Vice President of Global Guardian, a security adviser, believes that this is the beginning of a new direction.

He said: “I think we will see more increases in the coming years. Europe recognizes the need to stand alone and not to rely heavily on the United States.” “This does not mean that the United States will not support Europe, but” guaranteed certainty “to support the United States is no longer perceived.

the European Union Last month, the rules of deficit were adhered to last month, allowing national budgets to spend 650 billion euros (740 billion dollars) to defend books.

Greece became The first member to announce a multi -year armament under the new rules on April 3.

Inside Europe, Germany rose more severely (by 28 percent), with an extraordinary fund worth 100 billion euros (113.5 billion dollars) was announced in 2022. However, each member state of the European Union except Malta raised the defense budget, reflecting the vision of the Russian threat on a large scale.

The bases of the comfortable European Union deficit, known as the Relred Euro, along with a fund of 150 billion euros (170 billion dollars) to enhance the European Union defense products and the German parliament’s decision last month to perpetuate up to 1 trillion euros (1.14 trillion dollars) for the infrastructure and defense, all thanks to the prediction of Krummrich.

Armies cannot live on money alone

Experts have warned that spending would take a long time to translate the projection.

“It takes years of military ability to develop,” said Lucas Milveski, a lecturer in international studies at the University of Leiden. “It takes some time to train people, buy things, and build things, to present things,” he told Al -Jazeera.

Germany, for example, Lithuania promised a brigade in 2022. Its barracks were built in southwest Lithuania, but the brigade is not expected to be a coach, coach, equipped and operating until the end of 2027.

Milevski also warned that money should last for many years. He said: “By the time when you really need to pay the price of things, all of these exemptions that came with a re -highlighting Europe, and do not provide continuity after the year of stability that the defense policy needs.”

Another concern is what is spent on. The amazing US defense budget of $ 997 billion is often described, for example, as an enlarged Bork-Barrel’s purchases instead of modern military needs.

Europe suffers from a similar problem from repetition, as different states compete to adopt the system of operating tanks or missiles as a standard for the European Union and its financing to great altitudes.

Krumerich believes that the European Union now has a “great opportunity” to avoid eliminating old systems that must be preserved, and “jumping forward through military innovation and investment.” He said it was enough to note how the dirt laboratory in Ukraine revealed a new development in the war, especially with regard to drones and unmanned vehicles.

Others have expressed concern about the European approach.

“These are important capabilities, and how these capabilities are built and controlled,” said Hugo Bromli, a geographic political expert at the political geography center.

Bromley told the island that the United States and Europe should not be separated, but work together to provide specific needs in Europe, Asia and the Pacific.

He said: “The rare assets that America needs, especially in the Indian and Pacific focus, are the very high-end elevator (air), missiles-capabilities that the current focus of European spending has not been designed to create … because these are the capabilities that national countries want to maintain more for themselves.”

“Therefore, we need a sincere conversation about the countries that are ready to work together in these issues … If you look at the place where our natural partners will develop these high capabilities, it is East Asia and Germany, to the extent of the least France and Britain, and what I think of Kadomanth – Australia, Canada.”

This international approach is currently inaccurate on the continent, as the concept of strategic self -government now pushes the renewed European defense torque.

Finally, there is concern that the money, even if it has been spent effectively for a time to provide force, will lead to a tragedy in the Ukrainian theater, which is largely exhausted by the professional armies.

“The operational map is still largely stagnant,” Kromrich said.

He said: “The trained forces have been highly training and great campaigns plans. This is now a crazy war with a slim front line movement,” describing it as a “meat mill.”

“In my opinion, high spending will not transform the war decisively into either side; it will only lead to more death.”