War hawk Ursula von der Leyen brazenly declares that when it comes to weapons and military might, budget constraints seemingly vanish into thin air. Yet when it comes to healthcare, education, and other vital sectors, we’re told there’s simply not enough money to go around. It’s clear: this is not just a matter of budgetary allocation, it’s a political gambit, prioritizing war over welfare.
And if that isn’t scandalous enough, let’s delve into the murky depths of the Draghi Report on European competitiveness, which unveils a jaw-dropping statistic: 78% of European funds earmarked for military aid to Ukraine have funneled straight into the coffers of non-EU companies.
The U.S. alone pockets a scandalous 63% slice of the pie. In a frenzied rush to ramp up defense spending without bolstering our own European industrial capabilities, we are essentially inflating the GDP of other nations at the expense of our own citizens. Of course, if you truly believe the Cossacks are on the verge of storming St. Peter’s Square, then perhaps this risky gamble is justified.
Let’s strip this back to basics. The Atlantic Alliance estimates that by 2024, EU nations will have blown over 340 billion euros on defense—a staggering 2% of GDP, the bare minimum demanded by NATO. While some countries have surpassed this threshold, others, like Italy, lag behind. But the U.S. wants even more, pushing for European states to shoulder the cost of the continent’s defense, Ukraine included. They’ve set their sights on raising the bar to a whopping 3.5% of GDP, matching what the U.S. splurges on defense today.
In cold, hard cash, this means Europe must rustle up an additional 270-280 billion euros annually for defense—an astronomical sum that dwarfs pre-Ukraine war spending, previously hovering around 200 billion. This isn’t just a slight budgetary adjustment; it’s a tidal wave of euros pouring into the defense sector at a time when other crucial areas are crying out for attention and funding. Scandalous, indeed.
