Small Steps Create Big Shifts
Bruxelles – European defence spending is rising at a remarkable pace. According to the European Defence Agency (EDA), EU Member States spent €418 billion on defence in 2025, equivalent to 2.2 per cent of GDP. That figure is expected to continue rising significantly over the coming years.
The increase is important. Russia’s war against Ukraine has forced European governments to confront military weaknesses accumulated over decades, while the changing US role in European security has increased pressure on Europe to assume greater responsibility for its own defence.
But Europe now faces a different problem. The question is no longer simply: are European countries spending enough on defence?
More than ever, it is: what kind of defence is all that money actually building?
