Europe increases defense spending but lacks troops: study

Europe has boosted its spending on defense in the wake of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine, but lacking in the numbers of troops at its disposal, a UK-based think tank said on Friday.

In recent years, European countries also have been buying more weaponry from local producers. The continent's NATO members have used more than half of their spending on European systems since February 2022. This is against 34% spent on US systems.

The findings of the International Institute for Security Studies (IISS) come as Donald Trump's return to the White House has raised fears that he could disrupt European security, cut funding for Ukraine and engage in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin to the detriment of Kyiv.

The IISS published its latest report as it hosts the Prague Defense Summit which sees politicians, army officials and other experts discuss ways to boost European security.

'Decades of neglect,' concludes study

"Defense spending of NATO's European members in 2024 is almost 50% higher than it was in 2014, when Russia annexed Crimea," the report said.

"NATO has not just significantly increased its ambitions regarding its deterrence and war-fighting posture, but European members have sought to address critical capability and readiness shortfalls."

The report gave a stark warning, though, suggesting a lack of funds has led to a shortage in personnel for European defense.

"Unsurprisingly, however, after decades of neglect and underinvestment, much remains to be done and progress has been mixed."

"Key European armed forces remain under-strength... too many continue to lose troops, while not incentivizing enough of the younger generation to volunteer," it said.

Europe's need for military powers less dependent on the US force has been highlighted by European leaders who have gathered for a summit in Budapest this week with Trump's presidency looming large.

"We must not delegate forever our security to America," French President Emmanuel Macron said at the gathering in the Hungarian capital.

European armed forces "continue to rely on the United States to varying degrees across all military domains," according to the IISS report.

Europe's arsenal was "severely depleted as a result of political decisions after the end of the Cold War and the following decades. In the process, the defense industry in Europe also contracted," the study said.

Rheinmetall ammunition production boosted tenfold

But production in some sectors, including air defense and artillery, has increased since 2022 as arms makers respond to what Ukraine needs to fend off its neighbor.

German arms manufacturer Rheinmetall has seen its global annual 155 mm ammunition production rate increase "tenfold, to 700,000" over the last two and a half years.

jsi/sms (AP, AFP)