Originally Posted by
SaulGoodman
This is exactly what is the problem and why the EU should develop their militaries together. Now you have 27 inefficient militaries who all do everything separately.
An EU Army can’t happen overnight, that is why they should plan ahead together. Instead of buying different equipment, having different procedures etc.
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Should develop, but unfortunately EU is too scattered since majority are members of NATO and the rest are doing what they think is best for them. What must be remembered is that EU is an economic union, not a military union.
However, there are very strong signs that the non-NATO countries are developing higher and higher NATO compatibility in their equipment and practices, in essence this raises the possibility of co-operation and the potential for successful outcome of co-operation. Take Finland for example: the change from cold war era T72:s to Leopards and having approx 250 of those MBT's with additional 250 IFV's was made in 10 years during 90's/00's. The change from MIG21's and Drakens to Hornets in the 90's. Acquisition of NATO compatible assault rifles. NASAMS, AMRAD-R's etc. Now the new HX project has only western fast jets participating.
What comes to pro-Russians here claiming that US is causing all the fuzz. An interesting piece of information is the EU/NATO countries that do have borders with Russia ie are in the first line:
Finland: 1271km (EU)
Estonia: 294km (EU+NATO)
Latvia: 270km (EU+NATO)
Lithuania: 266km (EU+NATO)
Poland: 204km (EU+NATO)
Norway: 196km (NATO)
When looking at the 10 countries exceeding the NATO 2% limit for 2020, these five are within. Finland is jumping above that 2% limit too with the HX project (not that it would have any meaning since not a member of NATO).
To me it looks like every country that is next to Russia is really securing themselves in one way or another (by fulfilling the NATO contract requirements or whatever). So the question is again: what is considered as a threat if it is not Russia?
Surely the answer is not that naive statement of "US propaganda scaring European", Russia has itself freightened everyone with its actions all around its borders, from Crimea and Georgia to Estonia and the Archipelago of Finland.