Media: Europe’s defence challenges without American backing

European countries are struggling to bolster their defence capabilities without the crucial support of the United States.

The significant challenges facing European militaries, gives the ground to say that without American assistance, Europe's defence plans would be difficult to execute, Caliber.Az reports citing foreign media.

The report underscores that European armies lack key elements such as strategic aviation, air defence systems, and advanced intelligence and troop control capabilities. These functions are largely fulfilled by the US, making European security highly dependent on American resources. As a result, Europe’s military autonomy is limited, and its defence capacity remains intertwined with US military support.

The Wall Street Journal also points to difficulties faced by Europe’s defence industry, particularly in scaling up arms production. A significant amount of equipment has been sent to Ukraine in response to the ongoing war, and the pace of replenishment remains insufficient.

NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte has previously stated that the European defence industry is "too small in volume, too fragmented, and too slow" to meet the demands of modern warfare.

Despite large-scale NATO exercises conducted near the Ukrainian border and an incremental increase in defence spending by European countries, the article asserts that the alliance will struggle to meet its defence objectives without continued US backing. In February, NATO held military maneuvers involving approximately 10,000 troops, yet the US did not contribute its forces to these exercises.

The piece suggests that European countries are beginning to question their ability to ensure their own security without US participation. However, for the time being, the European armed forces remain heavily reliant on US technology, leadership, and military support to maintain regional stability.

The issue of European defence spending has been a point of contention for years. US President Donald Trump has frequently criticized NATO for its reliance on American resources. Even before his election, he threatened to withdraw the US from NATO if European nations did not take on more financial responsibility for their security. Upon taking office, Trump continued to push for European countries to meet the target of spending 5 per cent of their GDP on defence, further highlighting the divide between Europe’s defence ambitions and its current capabilities.

By Vafa Guliyeva