‘The EU risks falling behind: Putin’s victory in the elections in Russia is yet another reason to remember Europe’s lagging behind’, – Bloomberg

Given that Vladimir Putin is heading into his fifth presidential term and Donald Trump is preparing to return to the White House, Europe needs to seriously consider its future in a “dangerous world.” First and foremost, it should reconsider its approach to defense after 25 years of “insufficient investment.”

This is the sentiment expressed by Bloomberg columnist Lionel Laurent.

According to him, the principles of modern conflict are changing and the EU risks falling behind. Therefore, the bloc should not only focus on producing ammunition, which Ukraine urgently needs, but also on developing innovations.

The crisis in the Red Sea is a lesson in asymmetric warfare, where drones costing $2,000 stand against million-dollar missiles. Despite all its experience in producing the latter, the European defense industry has failed to pioneer the development of the former: UAV projects are being implemented with delays and exceed budget limits, the article notes.

Statistics show that EU countries are reducing spending on military research. Additionally, they often face a lack of strategic planning and competition among industry companies, resulting in members of the organization increasingly relying on external suppliers.

Europe also noticeably lags behind the United States in developing defense projects using artificial intelligence. Advancing more domestic innovations could help reduce its dependence on Washington, which is a more pressing necessity in anticipation of a possible Trump presidency, Laurent emphasizes.