Europe’s Defense Dilemma: To Buy, or Not to Buy American
As defense budgets increase across Europe, capitals across the continent face a difficult choice: whether to spend the money on weapons developed at home or continue buying American. Last year, defense expenditure in Europe rose 13% to $345 billion, the fastest rate since the end of the Cold War, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a think tank known as Sipri. Much of the spending, however, goes to U.S.
defense companies, forming the backbone of industrial ties that underpin the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. French President Emmanuel Macron wants that to change. Europe’s reliance on the U.S.
to deliver everything from F-35 jet fighters to Patriot air-defense systems, Macron says, is based on the assumption the continent won’t have to wait in line to receive U.S. equipment. Washington’s priorities, Macron warns, could shift as the U.S.
pivots to the Pacific and U.S. presidential elections loom. In importing weapons today, Macron told a recent meeting of European defense ministers, “we are making problems for ourselves tomorrow." The push to increase European defense spending will be at the top of the agenda when NATO members gather for a summit in Lithuania on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The 31 allies expect to develop their first regional battle plan since the end of the Cold War, deciding what action each country should take in the event of an attack, what equipment is needed and how much to invest. They also expect to cement 2% of gross domestic product as the spending minimum, not an aspiration. Currently only 10 European NATO members hit the 2% threshold, according to data the alliance released on Friday.
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