{"id":866,"date":"2025-04-03T05:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-03T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.phithuongbatphu.com\/?p=866"},"modified":"2025-04-16T01:28:19","modified_gmt":"2025-04-16T01:28:19","slug":"how-europe-has-spent-22304000000-on-weapons-so-far-in-2025-amid-growing-putin-threat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.phithuongbatphu.com\/index.php\/2025\/04\/03\/how-europe-has-spent-22304000000-on-weapons-so-far-in-2025-amid-growing-putin-threat\/","title":{"rendered":"How Europe has spent \u00a322,304,000,000 on weapons so far in 2025 amid growing Putin threat"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Royal Marine Commandos take up position on a beach in Harvstad, Norway, after swimming ashore during a training exercise (Picture: PA)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Europe is rearming at a pace not seen in decades.<\/p>\n

More than \u00a322 billion have been poured into military defence contracts<\/a> so far this year – an urgent response to Russia<\/a>’s preparations to wage a ‘large-scale war’ on the continent within five years<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Budgets appear to have swollen as governments are rushing to boost their borders, something resembling a real-world battlefield<\/a> from Call of Duty<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Metro<\/strong> has been tracking military contracts issued to private manufacturers since January 1, including by the UK.<\/p>\n

The findings show that billions of pounds are flowing into the production of weapons, high-tech surveillance systems and maintenance of the already existing arsenal.<\/p>\n

Why this matters <\/strong><\/p>\n

The timing and scale of the new contracts coincide with warnings from a number of security officials<\/a> that the Kremlin is laying the groundwork for a potential large-scale conventional war with Nato.<\/p>\n

Despite ongoing losses in Ukraine and international sanctions<\/a>, Russia has accelerated its military production.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

Germany’s government has warned that Russia’s economy is generating more output than is required solely for its invasion of Ukraine. <\/p>\n

Military spending has risen to an estimated \u00a3100 billion – the equivalent to over 6% of GDP – nearly quadrupling its 2021 defence budget.<\/p>\n

Behind the scenes<\/strong><\/p>\n

After taking office in January, Donald Trump has avoided a confrontational stance toward Russia and has went even further, praising Vladimir Putin as a leader and re-establishing diplomatic relations.<\/p>\n

The US president has been working to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, ending the full-scale invasion.<\/p>\n

While for the US, the conflict may seem like a lucrative business deal, for Europe it is a matter of survival.<\/p>\n

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Thales will supply over 5,000 lightweight multirole missiles (LMM) to Ukraine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The UK alone has awarded more than \u00a312 billion of contracts since the start of the year.<\/p>\n

Aerospace company Thales has won a \u00a31.6 billion-deal to supply 5,000 lightweight multirole missiles (LMM) to Ukraine.<\/p>\n

Defence provider Babcock International Group has also won a contract of the same amount to provide the British Army with equipment, including tanks and armoured vehicles.<\/p>\n

And Rolls-Royce Holdings are being given \u00a39 billion by the UK to design and manufacture nuclear reactors to power submarines.<\/p>\n

Emmanuel Macron announced \u00a31.2 billion in March to modernise one of France’s main air bases with the latest nuclear missile technology.<\/p>\n

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Denmark has ordered 30 Patria Armored Modular Vehicles (AMVs), with the first batch to be delivered this year<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As part of the contract, he ordered the expansion of the French fleet of the Dassault Rafale fighter jets. <\/p>\n

‘The world we live in is increasingly dangerous, and increasingly uncertain,’ said Macron, referring to the shifting global alliances.<\/p>\n

‘Our country and our continent must continue to defend, equip, and prepare itself if we want to avoid war.’<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, the Netherlands announced plans to enhance its air defence capabilities by purchasing 22 Skyranger systems, whichwill be mounted on ACSV Gen 5 tracked armored vehicles<\/p>\n

The total procurement cost? \u00a31.1 billion.<\/p>\n

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France is investing \u00a31.25 billion in Rafale fighter jets and in an air base<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Poland just signed a \u00a31.5 contract with the US to supply logistical support for Patriot missile-defence systems.<\/p>\n

Defence minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said in Krakow: ‘This is the protection of the Polish sky, this is within Polish airspace.<\/p>\n

‘So it is an absolute priority for us and it is very good that there is a Polish-American cooperation in this area.’<\/p>\n

A whooping \u00a32.5 billion contract with Rheinmetall automotive and arms supplier was also unveiled by Germany in February to procure up to 368 IdZ-ES platoon systems for the Army.<\/p>\n

What is next<\/strong><\/p>\n

Greece has today will announced it will spend \u00a321 billion through to 2036 in the ‘most drastic’ defence overhaul in its modern history.<\/p>\n

Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Parliament: ‘\u03a4he plan involves the most drastic transformation of the armed forces in the country’s modern history.<\/p>\n

‘The world is changing at an unforeseeable pace.’<\/p>\n

The money will be spent on a new anti-missile, anti-aircraft and anti-drone defensive dome called ‘Achilles’s Shield’ – similar to Israel’s famed Iron Dome.<\/p>\n

The new initiative is also designed to make Greece ‘a key branch’ of the European Union’s defence mechanism.<\/p>\n

Away from defence contracts, Germany is taking an unprecedented step by deploying a 5,000-strong armored brigade in Lithuania to boost Nato’s eastern flank.<\/p>\n

It is the first time since World War II that the country has officially launched a permanent foreign troop deployment.<\/p>\n

Brigadier general Christoph Huber told dpa, the German press agency: ‘We have a clear mission: to ensure the protection, freedom and security of our Lithuanian allies on Nato\u2019s eastern flank.<\/p>\n

‘In doing so, we also protect Nato territory and Germany itself.’<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tMilitary contracts per European nation\t\t\t<\/h2>\n
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Britain <\/strong><\/p>\n