After the election of US president Donald Trump in 2016 and Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, a consensus has formed that Europe needs to do more – and spend more – to look after itself. But at a time when the cost of living and other domestic issues remain a priority for many governments, there is little appetite to spend on something that might never be used. In this special episode recorded at the recent Globsec forum in Prague, we speak to Lieutenant General Ben Hodges, Denis Mercier, Lieutenant General Piotr Blazeusz and Jiri Sedivy to consider threats to Europe and their necessary responses. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Within the last decade, Europe has experienced two violent jolts to its sense of security.
One from its west, one from its east.
From the west in 2016, the election in the United States of a president scornful of America's obligations and contemptuous of its allies and who may yet be re elected this November.
From The east in 2022, the All out assault on Ukraine by Russia, the country which NATO, Europe's bulwark for 75, was established to deter.
As a consequence of these events, a consensus has formed that Europe needs to do more and spend more to look after itself.
This sentiment was recently starkly expressed in a hefty report on Europe's general competitiveness by former Italian Prime Minister and European Central bank chief Mario Draghi.
He warned that European defence manufacturing is not keeping up in quantity or quality and that Europe needs urgently to grow out of its assumption that in extremists, the US cavalry can always be relied upon to come charging over the hill in the final reel.
Neither European publics nor politicians are enthralled by this prospect.
Nobody enjoys contemplating their vulnerability.
And defense kit is really expensive.
A single new F35 fighter jet will set a country back around US$100 million.
And when times are tough, or at least when voters are whining at you that times are tough, it's easier not to spend the money.
Something which if you're lucky, you won't ever use.
In this special episode recorded at the recent globesec forum in Prague, we consider the threat and the necessary response.
What is the nature of the Russian menace now?
What still needs to be done to forestall it?
And can Ukraine still win this war for the rest of us?
This is the foreign desk.
Before 2014, NATO focused very much on crisis management, especially with the operations in Afghanistan, and probably forgot a bit about defence and deterrence.
And after 2014 it was a wake up call.