There is growing disagreement in the European Union over exactly how rearmament should proceed amid threats from Russia and overall security instability. Politico reported this on May 23, citing European diplomats and officials.
Some EU countries advocate the fastest possible rearmament of armies and insist that the main priority should be the prompt supply of weapons. This approach often favors American systems that can be procured and deployed more quickly to deter potential Russian aggression.
Another group of states is promoting the idea of so-called “European priority” in defense procurement. They believe that significant defense spending should primarily go towards developing the EU's own defense industry, creating jobs and reducing dependence on the US.
Additionally, differences are aggravated by different assessments of threats: the countries of the EU’s eastern flank are more focused on quickly containing the aggressor country Russia, while other states focus on developing an independent European defense industry.
The dispute between approaches to rearmament is expected to remain a major issue in European security policy in the coming years.
