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To spread: according to analysts, Europe will need annual investments in the def...

Europe will have to increase the army by 300,000 soldiers without US support - analytics

To spread: according to analysts, Europe will need annual investments in the defense area of ​​about 250 billion euros. The attack of the Russian Federation on EU countries must be "classified as a real danger. " European countries will have to dramatically increase defense if the United States stops military support.

Analysts from the Bruegel Brussel Institute and the King Institute of the World Economy have appreciated Europe's costs to protect against Russia, which may have enough strength to attack EU countries in the next 3-10 years. According to experts, Europe will have to deploy about 50 brigades with a total number of 300 thousand soldiers, buy at least 1,400 major combat tanks and 2000 infantry fighting vehicles. This is more than the Germany, France, Italy and the United Kingdom, have combined.

It will also require the production of about 2000 drones of a distant radius every year. Despite the considerable scale of these costs, economists call them acceptable. According to one of the authors of the analysis, Professor Gunra Wolf, in percentage this will be only 1. 5% of EU GDP. And this is much less than the costs that were mobilized to overcome the crisis during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Despite serious losses in the war against Ukraine, Russia has significantly increased its military power, analysts say. At the end of 2024, about 700,000 Russian soldiers were launched in Ukraine - much more than at the beginning of the invasion in 2022. Last year, the Russian Federation produced 1550 new tanks and 5700 armored vehicles, which is 220% and 150% more respectively than in 2022. Professor Wolf believes that Russia can have enough strength to attack EU countries in the next 3-10 years.

According to him, it should be "classified as a real danger. " The victory of Russia in Ukraine will only increase its aggression, so Europe is vital to prevent this scenario, he is convinced. The study authors propose to increase defense costs in Europe from the current 2% to 3. 5-4% of GDP annually. This means that EU countries need to find an additional 250 billion euros each year.

For example, for Germany it will mean an increase in military expenses from 80 to 140 billion euros per year, which corresponds to 3. 5% of its GDP. We will remind, on February 21 MP Mika Aaltol Mika Parliament stated that the United States gave Europe for three weeks to harmonize the conditions of surrender of Ukraine. If this is not done "the United States will leave Europe.