Spending Hike and NATO Summit Wrap: "We'll Muddle Through"
"Neitzel suggests maintaining wrestling ventures, likely causing substantial financial expenditure"
It's all over - the NATO summit in The Hague! The big question: Will the European NATO members actually meet the five percent defense spending goal? Military historian Sönke Neitzel, guest on Markus Lanz's show, isn't convinced. While Trump's satisfied, others ponder the practicalities of this new target.
Germany, for one, seems to have heard the call to action. Green Party faction leader Katharina Dröge emphasizes the need for preparedness: "We must all ask ourselves: Are we ready to defend our country if a conflict arises?"
A part of the problem lies in the slow-moving nature of the German military, berated by Neitzel as a "perfect caricature of German bureaucracy." But don't expect Europeans to give up their sovereignty anytime soon - could integration be wishful thinking?
"Soldiering On"
But debate about war and defense takes a surprising turn when Lanz reveals his own military past. Asked about his readiness to defend his country, he confesses, "I have served... I would never shoot at a person with a weapon in hand, but I've witnessed the determination of Ukrainians and understood their strong motivation... It's impressive to see how they still stand."
Try, Try Again
As for the Russia issue, while Neitzel expects smaller-scale maneuvers in the fall, a real war is unlikely. Instead, we might see a test of NATO's preparedness, with disruptions like derailments or boundary pushes.
Overall, while Europe's military preparedness is improving, the journey remains uncertain, with hurdles such as reforming national militaries, political will, budget concerns, and coordinating across nations requiring solutions. And as Lanz puts it, "we'll probably just muddle through and burn enormous amounts of money."
[1] Reforming Bundeswehr seen as necessary for increased defense spending implementation (source omitted)[2] Wider political, geostrategic, and budgetary challenges in implementing more robust defense capabilities across Europe (source omitted)
The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the politics of defense spending, in light of the increasing need for European NATO members to meet the defense spending goals. The general-news worth discussing here includes the ongoing challenges and hurdles faced by nations in implementing more robust defense capabilities, such as reforming national militaries, political will, budget concerns, and coordinating across nations.
