IMPLICATIONS OF SECURITY ACTION FOR EUROPE

I here is a window OT opportunity for Indian firms and the Indian government to collaborate with European nations to develop weapons

- AMIT GUPTA

The Ukraine war has shattered Europe's naïve confidence in its military capabilities. In attempting to supply Ukraine, it became clear that NATO lacked sufficient weapon systems to provide to Kyiv and was severely short of munitions to meet the enormous demand from the Ukrainian army.

Added to this has been the vacillations of the Trump Administration, which sometimes supports NATO's efforts and, at other times, acts as if the primary goal is a peace settlement at any cost.

Europe's military weakness became clear when Germany supplied 13 Leopard tanks, which had limited usefulness for a country the size of Ukraine, and to make matters worse, the Russians soon destroyed these. Portugal, a consistent underperformer within NATO, provided three Leopard tanks to Ukraine—a figure that is laughable by any measure of military effectiveness.

Denmark made a bold move by giving its entire stock of 15,000 artillery shells to Ukraine. This was a gesture of solidarity from one of the smaller European countries. Although appreciated in Kyiv, the transfer did little to improve Ukraine's military capabilities. The Ukrainian military expends 10,000 artillery shells daily, and the Danish transfer added just thirty-six hours of firing power to the Ukrainian Army’s arsenal.

The European inability to supply support for a war in Ukraine was compounded by a sudden realisation that the Trump Administration, unlike previous American governments, which were captivated by the European connection, had decided it would no longer act as Europe's benefactor by heavily subsidising its defence. Instead, Trump demanded that Europe pay its fair share, and the European nations have come to understand that the American President is not bluffing.