The European Union's new defense program, 'Rearming Europe,' valued at 800 billion euros, marks a turning point in Europe's approach to security. To deter Russia and minimize escalation, NATO European members must take five key steps. First, the United States should begin withdrawing its ground troops from the continent. This will encourage European policymakers to take responsibility for their own security. Second, European nations must increase their defense spending, going beyond the 2% GDP commitment. Third, they need to improve the ability of their armies to mobilize and deploy rapidly in case of an attack. Fourth, NATO members should deploy light defenses in the Baltic states, considering their geography. Fifth, heavier military capabilities, including tanks, armored vehicles, and air defense systems, should be deployed across Germany and Poland to create a 'chessboard' of resistance. Although the war in Ukraine has demonstrated Russia's weaknesses, history shows that defeated armies can learn from their mistakes and re-emerge as more formidable forces. Europe must therefore rediscover the reality of international politics and make its own efforts to deter any Russian aggression. At the end of last month, Romania's Ministry of Defense announced the withdrawal of about 700 U.S. soldiers from its borders. This adjustment would allow member states to increase defense spending by up to 1.5% of GDP over four years, potentially providing an additional 650 billion euros for the European defense sector.
