Europe is under growing pressure to strengthen its defence after Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine, rising tensions with Russia, and signals from the United States that it should rely less on external protection.<\/p>\n
Leaders like Ursula von der Leyen are pushing major defence plans, while warnings from figures such as Vladimir Putin and Mark Rutte suggest the risk of wider conflict is no longer theoretical.<\/p>\n
Despite this urgency, public readiness is low\u2014most Europeans say they would not fight in a war. Meanwhile, countries closer to Russia, like Poland and Lithuania, are preparing more actively with defence measures and public awareness campaigns.<\/p>\n
The European Union is increasing military spending, improving infrastructure for troop movement, and launching joint defence programs to reduce fragmentation and boost readiness by 2030.<\/p>\n
At the same time, pressure from the United States and divisions within NATO are pushing Europe toward greater military independence.<\/p>\n
The key issue now isn\u2019t whether Europe should prepare\u2014but whether it can do so quickly enough to face potential future threats.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"