Europe desperately needs US help: Bloomberg reveals "weaknesses" of European defense capabilities
Kyiv • UNN
European leaders, realizing critical gaps in defense capabilities, hope for Donald Trump to fulfill his proposal for security guarantees for Ukraine. Replacing US military capabilities will cost Europe $1 trillion.
European leaders, taking into account critical gaps in their countries' defense capabilities, still hope that US President Donald Trump will fulfill his proposal to provide Ukraine with specific security guarantees, even as the peace negotiation process looks increasingly unlikely, UNN reports with reference to Bloomberg.
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Europe has a critical deficit in space intelligence and surveillance, as well as integrated air and missile defense — key areas that the UK- and France-led coalition of the willing hopes US assistance will cover. Replacing conventional US military capabilities deployed in the region would cost Europe $1 trillion, according to a report by the International Institute for Strategic Studies published this week.
The US provides most of NATO's intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, including satellites, which has proven critical in responding to Russian dictator Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. Replacing this would cost Europe $4.8 billion, according to the report "Progress and Shortcomings in Europe's Defense." European officials say the US must continue to provide this under a peace agreement so that Ukrainian and European forces can be warned of any Russian violation.
"This has to be part of the deal, because... without eyes, you are blind," said Veronika Stromšíková, Director General for Security and Multilateral Relations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, who represents the country at coalition meetings at the director level.
Europe also lacks domestic integrated long-range air and missile defense equipment that can shoot down ballistic missiles – a mission almost exclusively performed by American Patriot systems. Trump is allowing Europe to buy Patriots for Ukraine, and Germany has provided batteries from its own stocks. The Franco-Italian consortium Eurosam produces SAMP/T, which also has some ballistic missile defense capabilities.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated on Thursday in his speech at the IISS Prague Defense Summit that European allies need to increase the number of air and missile defense systems fivefold.
"Air defense capabilities are absolutely vital," said Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson on the sidelines of the conference.
He added that Europe has made significant investments in recent years, but the task now is to "translate economic influence into combat power" by accelerating the development of the continent's industrial base.
Twenty-six of the 35 coalition members have stated they will contribute to guarantees for Ukraine, either in terms of troops or military equipment and training. French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that US support for these measures would be finalized in the coming days; however, Trump used a phone call with leaders that day to say that Europe should exert more economic pressure on Russia and China, according to Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
However, the publication reminds that Putin has repeatedly stated that he will not agree to Western troops in Ukraine.
Trump, who previously ruled out sending American troops to Ukraine, has promised some form of support, including intelligence and potential air support, without providing details. But this week, the US said it would cut funding for programs worth hundreds of millions of dollars that help train and equip the armies of European countries bordering Russia.
US cuts security assistance programs for countries bordering Russia - FT04.09.25, 21:24 • 7804 views
The main goal of the coalition is to revive the Ukrainian army so that it becomes a "steel porcupine" capable of defending itself if Russia invades again after a ceasefire. According to Stromšíková and Jonson, allied countries will potentially train Ukrainian soldiers in Ukraine and supply them with military equipment.