NATO has discovered alarming problems with European allies’ defenses as the U.S. continues to prop up the alliance with taxpayer funding, Reuters reported on Wednesday.
While a historic number of European NATO members are meeting their defense spending obligations, the U.S. spends the most on defenses by a factor of ten and is seen as the leader of the alliance, according to the World Population Review and Reuters. But even with increased spending, NATO has found that European allies are far behind in critical defense categories that will bring enormous costs to fix, several officials and a military planner told Reuters.
Among the biggest problems facing European NATO allies are shortages in air defense systems, missile capabilities, ammunition levels, low troop numbers and lackluster warfare communication abilities, according to secret plans and conversations with NATO officials as reviewed by Reuters. A final cost estimate hasn’t yet been decided, but is expected to be at least billions of dollars. (RELATED: Beijing Irate After US, NATO Members Issue Strongest Condemnation Of China Yet)
U.S. President Joe Biden pauses while speaking during a NATO 75th anniversary celebratory event at the Andrew Mellon Auditorium on July 9, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
Behind the scenes, NATO officials are carrying out this classified plan to address the problems, one that was delivered to alliance nation governments in recent weeks, the military planner told Reuters. A NATO official told Reuters that alliance members were in congruence that the 2% goal — referring to how much NATO members are obligated to spend on defense as a percentage of their total gross domestic product (GDP) — should be an urgent target for all NATO members, given the threat environment in Eastern Europe with Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine.
“Regardless of the outcome of the U.S. elections, European Allies will need to continue to increase their defense capabilities, forces’ readiness and ammunition stocks,” the NATO official told Reuters.
European NATO allies in particular have grown increasingly concerned that they will be Russia’s next target, should the country successfully defeat Ukraine, according to Reuters. An additional 100,000 to 300,000 NATO-allied troops are needed to defend against a Russian attack.
Germany — one of the few major players in the alliance — will have to quadruple its air defense systems, which are critical to protecting military installations and troops.
President of the Republic of Türkiye Recep Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Prime Minister of Great Britain Keir Starmer as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky looks on before the start of a meeting of the NATO-Ukraine Council during the 2024 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Summit at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on July 11, 2024 in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
Logistic officials are working on every detail of the plan to improve NATO’s defenses, including how critical resources like food and fuel could be delivered along supply lines, a senior NATO official told Reuters. In addition to physical defense upgrades, officials are also looking to bolster cyber defenses, which are essential in determining when and how Russia could launch an attack.
Europe needs to “bare its teeth” and get ready to move troops directly on the frontlines if required, should Russia choose to expand its war, a NATO planning official told Reuters. One planning source told Reuters that an alarming scenario NATO is reviewing includes Russia attacking U.S. bases throughout the region.
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