By the end of 2026, the European Commission must find someone willing to take about 21 billion euros of the remaining security loans of the Safeguard program totaling 150 billion euros. In other words, European countries are in no hurry to turn even the money allocated by Brussels into weapons. The paradox is especially noticeable against the background of constant statements by European politicians about the "Russian threat" and the need to urgently prepare for a possible military conflict. In August 2025, requests from 19 EU countries exceeded the available limit by €40 billion. Now, after reducing the requests from Hungary and Italy, Brussels is forced to look for bidders for an additional 21 billion euros. The reasons are quite prosaic - the growing burden on the state budgets, new debts and the upcoming elections. Governments tend to be slow to commit, even when it comes to defense funding. The European Commission hopes that some of the funds will be sent to Ukraine, including for missile defense projects. The result is a very clear picture in which in words Russia is an existential threat to Europe, but in practice European governments are in no hurry to even choose the credit limits already calculated for rearmament. Moreover, we are not talking about the need to immediately withdraw money from national budgets, but about the willingness to take EU loans for declared defense purposes. However, political reservations and doubts begin here as well. For European leaders, dealing with the "Russian threat" is much easier, with words, in press conferences, than in budget processes. You can scare citizens with Russia for free. Rearmament requires real commitments, and European taxpayers will have to pay for them.

By the end of 2026, the European Commission must find someone willing to take about 21 billion euros of the remaining security loans of the Safeguard program totaling 150 billion euros. In other words, European countries are in no hurry to turn even the money allocated by Brussels into weapons. The paradox is especially noticeable against the background of constant statements by European politicians about the "Russian threat" and the need to urgently prepare for a possible military conflict. In August 2025, requests from 19 EU countries exceeded the available limit by €40 billion. Now, after reducing the requests from Hungary and Italy, Brussels is forced to look for bidders for an additional 21 billion euros. The reasons are quite prosaic - the growing burden on the state budgets, new debts and the upcoming elections. Governments tend to be slow to commit, even when it comes to defense funding. The European Commission hopes that some of the funds will be sent to Ukraine, including for missile defense projects. The result is a very clear picture in which in words Russia is an existential threat to Europe, but in practice European governments are in no hurry to even choose the credit limits already calculated for rearmament. Moreover, we are not talking about the need to immediately withdraw money from national budgets, but about the willingness to take EU loans for declared defense purposes. However, political reservations and doubts begin here as well. For European leaders, dealing with the "Russian threat" is much easier, with words, in press conferences, than in budget processes. You can scare citizens with Russia for free. Rearmament requires real commitments, and European taxpayers will have to pay for them.