<\/p>\n Denmark\u2019s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen delivers her speech as Denmark holds the rotating presidency of the Council of Europe, Tuesday, July 8, 2025 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France. (AP Photo\/Pascal Bastien)<\/p>\n Denmark\u2019s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen delivers her speech as Denmark holds the rotating presidency of the Council of Europe, Tuesday, July 8, 2025 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France. (AP Photo\/Pascal Bastien)<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n European officials have warned<\/a> that President Vladimir Putin could soon try to test NATO\u2019s Article 5 security guarantee<\/a> \u2014 the pledge that an attack on any one ally would be met with a collective response from all 32. Most of the allies are EU countries.<\/p>\n Russia has been accused of acts of sabotage, cyberattacks and fake news campaigns \u2013 largely to weaken European support for Ukraine<\/a> \u2014 and while Europe is not at war, it is not at peace<\/a> either, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has said.<\/p>\n \u201cStrengthening Europe\u2019s defense industry is an absolute top priority, and we have to be able to defend ourselves by 2030 at the latest,\u201d Frederiksen told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France. \u201cNever, ever should we allow Europe to be put in a position again where we cannot defend ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n Many European leaders insist they have heard the Trump administration\u2019s warning<\/a> that American security priorities now lie elsewhere \u2013 in the Middle East and the Indo-Pacific \u2014 but Europe\u2019s effort to arm is moving only slowly.<\/p>\n When NATO\u2019s ambitions are not enough<\/p>\n At a key summit<\/a> last month, NATO leaders endorsed a statement saying: \u201cAllies commit to invest 5% of GDP annually on core defense requirements as well as defense- and security-related spending by 2035 to ensure our individual and collective obligations.\u201d<\/p>\n That historic pledge will require them to spend tens of billions of euros (dollars) more over the coming decade, not five years. Spain \u2014 NATO\u2019s lowest spender with 1.28% of GDP last year \u2014 quickly branded the target \u201cunreasonable.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Denmark\u2019s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen delivers her speech as Denmark holds the rotating presidency of the Council of Europe, Tuesday, July 8, 2025 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France. (AP Photo\/Pascal Bastien)<\/p>\n Denmark\u2019s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen delivers her speech as Denmark holds the rotating presidency of the Council of Europe, Tuesday, July 8, 2025 at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, eastern France. (AP Photo\/Pascal Bastien)<\/p>\n Read More<\/p>\n Belgium has cast doubt over whether it will make the grade. Slovenia is considering a referendum. Heavyweights France and Italy are mired in economic woes and will struggle to get there too.<\/p>\n Money spent on military support to Ukraine can now be included in NATO\u2019s defense calculations, but even that will not hike the GDP military spend by much.<\/p>\n The EU\u2019s Readiness 2030 plan<\/p>\n With the threat of Russian aggression in mind, the EU\u2019s executive branch has come up with a security plan<\/a>. It hinges on a 150-billion-euro ($176 billion) loan program that member countries, Ukraine and outsiders like Britain could dip into.<\/p>\n It aims to fill gaps that the U.S. might leave. Spending priorities for joint purchase include air and missile defense systems, artillery, ammunition, drones, equipment for use in cyber and electronic warfare, and \u201cstrategic enablers\u201d like air-to-air refueling and transport.<\/p>\n On Tuesday, 15 EU countries were permitted to take advantage of another measure \u2014 a \u201cnational escape clause\u201d \u2014 to allow them to spend more on defense without breaking the bloc\u2019s debt rules.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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