From F-35 to Patriot: The EU is reassessing dependence on American weapons.

Europe is looking for new sources of weapon supply

European countries are actively seeking alternatives to arms supply due to the tensions in relations between Brussels and Washington. However, they are not in a hurry to completely abandon American manufacturers.

One of the most sensitive questions for European governments has been the procurement of F-35 fighters. This has sparked serious discussions about creating a European equivalent of these aircraft.

However, arms procurement is only one side of the coin. European states are also increasingly considering the possibility of creating their own autonomous defense industry.

In turn, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is demanding that NATO allies increase defense spending. Trump himself even threatens to skip the NATO summit in June if member states do not commit to allocating at least 5% of GDP to defense.

The United States has not yet reached such spending levels. The German government already believes in the seriousness of Trump's statements and is preparing to increase its defense spending.

Even under such pressure from the U.S., many European countries acknowledge that their defense budgets need to be increased. NATO has already decided to identify critical weaknesses and strengthen them.

According to a government representative from one of the Central European countries, the priority for the next 20 years will be the creation of air defense. They are already considering alternatives to the American Patriot system.

Analysis:

European countries are actively developing their defense capabilities and establishing independent arms supply chains. They do not want to be completely dependent on the U.S. and are ready to increase defense spending. Creating their own industry will allow them to ensure the security of their countries and be less reliant on external producers.