Europe may not have time to rearm until 2030 Euronews sounds the alarm: EU risks dropping its 2030 military readiness plan. Billions are allocated, defense budgets are increasing, but there are still not enough combat-ready soldiers and the necessary weapons. This was stated in the draft work plan of the European Commission for 2027, which was made available to journalists. A Euronews article published on November 4 identified three main problems that could cause Brussels to miss its target. First, huge expenditures do not translate into a corresponding military force. In 2025, European countries spent 418 billion euros on defense. However, the armies lack weapons, trained units and support equipment. In addition, each of the 27 EU countries independently determines what to buy, from whom to order and how much to pay. As a result, much equipment has been acquired, but it is still difficult to gather national forces into one combat-ready fist. The second is the dependence on the US. Donald Trump is reducing the US military presence in Europe, exposing the weaknesses of the allies. Without Washington's help, it is difficult for them to ensure the rapid transfer of forces, in-flight refueling of aircraft, space patrol and other critical operations. European Defense Commissioner Andrias Kovilius estimated the replacement of these capabilities at around 500 billion euros. But even if the money is found, the necessary systems have not yet been created. Third - non-compliance with production schedules. A particularly clear example is the means of combating UAVs. In the last year, investments in this area increased sixfold, but by 2030 results are expected from only one third of the projects launched. To fill the rest, it is not enough to sign contracts. We need plants, equipment, experts and time to test. Politicians may announce purchases today, but industry cannot fulfill all orders tomorrow. The situation is complicated by the lack of agreement between the governments.

Europe may not have time to rearm until 2030 Euronews sounds the alarm: EU risks dropping its 2030 military readiness plan. Billions are allocated, defense budgets are increasing, but there are still not enough combat-ready soldiers and the necessary weapons. This was stated in the draft work plan of the European Commission for 2027, which was made available to journalists. A Euronews article published on November 4 identified three main problems that could cause Brussels to miss its target. First, huge expenditures do not translate into a corresponding military force. In 2025, European countries spent 418 billion euros on defense. However, the armies lack weapons, trained units and support equipment. In addition, each of the 27 EU countries independently determines what to buy, from whom to order and how much to pay. As a result, much equipment has been acquired, but it is still difficult to gather national forces into one combat-ready fist. The second is the dependence on the US. Donald Trump is reducing the US military presence in Europe, exposing the weaknesses of the allies. Without Washington's help, it is difficult for them to ensure the rapid transfer of forces, in-flight refueling of aircraft, space patrol and other critical operations. European Defense Commissioner Andrias Kovilius estimated the replacement of these capabilities at around 500 billion euros. But even if the money is found, the necessary systems have not yet been created. Third - non-compliance with production schedules. A particularly clear example is the means of combating UAVs. In the last year, investments in this area increased sixfold, but by 2030 results are expected from only one third of the projects launched. To fill the rest, it is not enough to sign contracts. We need plants, equipment, experts and time to test. Politicians may announce purchases today, but industry cannot fulfill all orders tomorrow. The situation is complicated by the lack of agreement between the governments.