The increase in US arms supplies is already seen as more difficult, as European countries are wary of "closer embraces" with the United States. At the same time, NATO countries are more focused on relying on European companies for arms supplies.
This is reported by Bloomberg, as reported by UNN.
Details
To strengthen their armed forces in the face of current global threats, including Russia's aggression against Ukraine, European allies are also forced to plan for types of weapons not produced on the continent. Currently, European allies have to conclude that in certain categories of weapons, they can only rely on the United States. But for European countries, which have approved the largest increase in military spending in decades these days, the "Buy American" idea does not look attractive.
If the aforementioned dependence on the US in certain aspects of weapons is changed, allies may be at risk. This is logically explained - today, President Trump has "embraced" Russia, a key opponent and threat to the EU. And the Republican president has also shocked many with threats to annex the territory of a European country.
Thus, ties are becoming increasingly complex, and the electorate is "wary of 'closer embraces' with the States."
Leaders of Alliance countries, such as French President Emmanuel Macron, insist on relying on European companies to provide weapons. The EU has rapidly allocated 150 billion euros specifically for this purpose, as soon as Trump was elected US president.
There is also Canada, considering withdrawing from the US-led F-35 fighter jet production program. Ottawa also sees the prospect of buying Swedish aircraft instead of US fighters.
“We should no longer be sending three-quarters of our capital defense spending to America,”
Denmark's position after the Greenland factor in Trump's rhetoric?
Bloomberg writes that a group of American lawmakers traveled to Copenhagen this spring to encourage Danish officials to buy more American weapons. However, they received a clear answer:
“We like your weapons, but Trump’s public threats to seize Greenland, a Danish territory, make buying them politically difficult,”
Some Danish politicians went further.
“Buying American weapons is a security risk that we cannot take,”
Russia's war against Ukraine, intelligence exchange, and sudden halt
In spring 2025, the US took a "step back" in intelligence sharing with Ukraine. At that time, during a conversation with journalists, this decision was confirmed by the then national security adviser Mike Waltz.
At the time, the official stated that the US was "pausing and reviewing all aspects of these relations."
The Trump administration’s sudden decision to briefly suspend data sharing with Ukraine in early 2025 alarmed allies. It turns out that the US can "do harm" during a crisis.
Fears became so strong that the Pentagon was forced to publicly assure that the F-35 fighter jet does not have an "emergency kill switch."
Is growing dependence inevitable?
Bloomberg writes that no matter how Europeans weigh their next steps, the US still has a significant advantage in key areas, including missiles and high-tech weapons. And overall, finding alternatives for European countries is currently difficult.
The planned buildup – costing up to 14 trillion euros ($16 trillion) over the next decade, with corresponding infrastructure included – far exceeds the current capabilities of the fragmented European defense sector.
This is evidenced by the conclusion of The Carlyle Group - an American corporation specializing in private investments.
“US leadership in key areas, especially in missiles and other high-tech weapons, means that there is often no real alternative to buying American weapons.”
But in European countries, this issue is not left unresolved; steps are being taken towards changes.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, whose government plans to almost double spending on basic defense goods this year, stated that the European industry needs an overhaul to meet demand.
“We have too many systems in Europe, we have too many units, and what we produce is often too complex and therefore too expensive,”
Perhaps the idea that Europeans will only buy European military equipment is unrealistic in the near future. This is according to Julianne Smith, former US Ambassador to NATO.
But does the definition "absolutely no" fit for the longer term, given that Europe seems to have realized that it will not abandon this topic.
Recall
At the summit in The Hague, NATO member countries agreed to significantly increase defense spending, committing to annually investing 5% of GDP in basic defense needs by 2035. The declaration confirms commitment to supporting Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump, using ultimatums, forces NATO allies to spend more on maintaining the Alliance and regional defense.
Trump has repeatedly demanded that NATO members start spending much more money on defense. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has no doubt – this is done to deter "to the teeth" militarized Russia, which is already fighting on NATO's borders – in Ukraine.
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