Originally Posted by
dead_pan
Europe alone currently spends c.3 times as much on defence as Russia. This multiple could rise to 4 or more given Germany's and others recent announcements, and Russia's economic travails.
Comparisons with Russian spend are perhaps irrelevant. Comparisons with the NATO minimum contribution may be more illuminating - as might be a discussion on where the more valuable capabilities in NATO might be found. That it has taken the outbreak of a full-scale land war to jolt Germany in particular into action is more representative of the actualite. Spending that will have no immediate effect, welcome though it is. It's not as if the EU nations have not been explicitly warned what dependence on Russian hydrocarbons would result in for at least the last five years.
Originally Posted by dead_pan,11194394
Also, its become patently obvious that Europe has absolutely nothing to fear from Russia's conventional forces.
Not a view that you would have got much support for one week ago.
What is absolutely certain is that there is a mobster with what appears to be a limited grasp on reality in charge in Moscow. He cannot (and will not) back down - there is no so-called off-ramp for him that Ukraine can live with. The only way out of this is to ramp up the pressure until eventually those around the Problem have to solve the Problem. Hopefully quickly - and painfully for the Problem.