Europe is signaling that it is ready to rearm. If the effort falls short it would not be the first time, but stark changes in the US-Europe relationship have created new urgency in European capitals. To be successful, Europe must not only find more money to spend on military hardware but also invest that money at home buying European-made weapons.
And the United States, historically protective of US defense firms, must break with past precedent and encourage them to do so.
There are signals that the Trump administration may be more open to the development of an autonomous European defense industry than its predecessors. In his remarks to the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in February 2024, for instance, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth made a promise to his counterparts. The United States, he said, will “prioritize empowering Europe to own responsibility for its own security.” If President Donald Trump and his advisors hope to reduce the US defense burden in Europe, limit US involvement in Ukraine, and focus more attention on Asia, they must stick to this commitment.
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