Europe confronts fragmented defence systems as pressure to rearm grows

Europe confronts fragmented defence systems as pressure to rearm grows

From International report by RFI English

March 27, 2026 · 13 min

About this episode

The episode discusses Europe's fragmented defence systems in light of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the pressures to rearm.

With war on the continent and uncertainty surrounding transatlantic guarantees, Europe is being forced to confront vulnerabilities in its defence. The combination is forcing governments to tackle long-standing inefficiencies – and to ask whether current plans go far enough. As the war grinds on in Ukraine and alliances shift under pressure, policymakers across Europe are confronting a stark reality: security can no longer be taken for granted. For decades following the Cold War, Europe operated within a relatively stable framework. Defence spending was reduced, industrial capacity thinned, and reliance on the United States became an accepted cornerstone of European defence. That model is now under strain. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has brought high-intensity conflict back to the continent, while political uncertainty in Washington has raised questions about the durability of US commitments. In response, the European Union is rethinking its approach. It has taken practical steps in the form of initiatives such as the Security Action for Europe (SAFE), which offers up to €150 billion of loans to member states looking to invest in advanced weapons and other hardware. More broadly…

Topics covered

  • defence
  • Europe
  • security
  • Ukraine
  • politics

Keywords

  • transatlantic guarantees
  • defence spending
  • Cold War
  • Russia
  • European Union

Mentioned in this episode

Places: Europe, Ukraine, the United States, Russia, Washington, US, Crimea, Brussels, France, Poland

More episodes of International report

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the International report podcast page.