Reuters: Record EU defence spending masks failure to collaborate, report says
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - European Union states spent nearly 200 billion euros ($225 billion) on defence in 2020, the most since records began in 2006, but joint investment by governments fell, the European Defence Agency (EDA) said in a report on Monday.
The EDA, an EU agency that helps the bloc's governments to develop their military capabilities, said the total spending of EU countries except for Denmark - which opts out of EU military projects - reached $198 billion, a 5% increase on 2019.
The defence expenditure amounted to 1.5% of the 26 EU states' economic output, a welcome figure for the U.S.-led NATO alliance, which has sought a 2% spending goal for its allies.
Most EU members are also part of NATO but want to able to act independently of the United States when necessary.
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WNU Editor: European nations agree on a lot of issues. But they also disagree even more on others. How to spend defense funds on joint projects is definitely one of those issues that they have problems in resolving.
4 comments:
There interests are wildly divergent. Of course they are having trouble collaborating.
Yeah, some see Russians as the main adversary.
Others see pink elephants with purple polka dots as "there" biggest worry.
The Germans want to fight tank on tank. The Pollocks want to to use cavalry against Russian tanks. Very divergent indeed.
Kissinger: " Europe, which telephone number?" is still valid.
Sadly no surprises here.
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