Are Europe’s defence structures prepared to meet evolving threats from Russia? Recent remarks by NATO and intelligence officials have highlighted gaps that could shape European security over the next five years.
Speaking to AnewZ, Marco Di Liddo, Director at the Centre for International Studies, analysed these concerns and the broader geopolitical context. Di Liddo outlined three primary gaps identified by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte.
“The first one is the increasing gap politically that is growing between the two sides of the Atlantic Ocean. So this increasing political and strategic fracture between U.S. and Europe.” According to Di Liddo, this gap complicates collective decision-making and weakens the coherence of NATO’s core alliance.
The second gap, he said, lies within Europe itself. “In Europe, we lack unity of intent and unity of perception on Russian current aggression on Ukraine, possible response, possible strategy to reinforce deterrence, and possible future scenarios about confrontation with Russia, how to manage this threat.” This lack of consensus on strategy and threat perception, Di Liddo explained, poses challenges for coordinated defence planning and limits Europe’s ability to respond effectively to Russian military and hybrid operations.
“The Secretary Rutte knows that, to build a renewable defence forces, you need a lot of money. And to do that, you need to increase your public spending. You need long-term projects. And in this aspect, Europe has not yet used the full-budget capabilities.”
When asked whether Russia could realistically deploy military force against NATO within five years, Di Liddo stressed that multiple assessments converge on the likelihood of potential aggression. “This kind of assessment is not coming only from NATO, but it's coming also from the German Secret Service, the UK Secret Service, that, according to their analysis, they think that Russia can arm Europe in the next future, from three to five years.” He added that threats extend beyond conventional forces, including missile capabilities and hybrid tactics, which Europe has been experiencing since 2014.
He explained that NATO’s cautious phrasing reflects the complexity of the scenario. “Rutte uses the expression could be in position because it depends from many patterns and from the evolution of many factors. The first one is how we will deal the Ukrainian war and which kind of political outcome and which kind of political deal, if there will be a political deal, we will build altogether. U.S., Ukraine, Europe and Russia.” He noted that the outcome of the war, Russia’s economic strategy, and the support Moscow receives from Global South partners including India, North Korea, and especially China will all influence the alliance’s threat assessment.
Domestic political pressures in Europe also shape the calculus, Di Liddo said. Leaders such as Prime Minister Starmer and President Macron face significant constraints in decision-making due to internal political dynamics, making coordinated long-term planning more challenging.
Di Liddo’s observations highlight the growing challenges NATO faces, providing context for the Secretary-General’s recent call for European leaders to urgently bolster defence capabilities in response to the Russian threat and ongoing developments in Ukraine.
The evolving military and hybrid threats from Russia, coupled with internal European and transatlantic pressures, underscore the need for long-term strategic planning. Europe’s ability to maintain stability and credible deterrence will depend on systematically addressing these gaps through coordinated investment, shared threat perception, and sustained political commitment.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 10% global tariffs have come into effect, hours after the Supreme Court blocked many of his sweeping import taxes ...
Torrential downpours have triggered deadly mudslides and widespread flooding in southern Peru, leaving at least seventeen people dead - including fift...
The U.S. ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, has been banned from meeting members of the French government after not showing up at the Foreign Affa...
Thailand and the United States, alongside 28 partner nations, began Southeast Asia’s largest and longest-running military exercise, the 45th Cobra G...
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 24th of February, covering the latest developments you need to...
U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 10% global tariffs have come into effect, hours after the Supreme Court blocked many of his sweeping import taxes in a 6–3 ruling. Allies around the world are weighing possible retaliation, while markets brace for further upheaval.
Torrential downpours have triggered deadly mudslides and widespread flooding in southern Peru, leaving at least seventeen people dead - including fifteen killed in a military helicopter crash - as hundreds of districts across the country remain under a state of emergency.
The U.S. ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, has been banned from meeting members of the French government after not showing up at the Foreign Affairs ministry, where he had been summoned over comments on the killing of a French far-right activist last week, diplomatic sources said on Monday.
Thailand and the United States, alongside 28 partner nations, began Southeast Asia’s largest and longest-running military exercise, the 45th Cobra Gold, on Tuesday (24 February) in Rayong province, Thailand.
Italy said a fond farewell to the Winter Olympics on Sunday with an open-air ceremony in the ancient Verona Arena that celebrated art and sporting achievement at a Games lauded as a model for how to stage such events.
The United States and Iran will hold a new round of nuclear negotiations in Geneva on Thursday as part of renewed diplomatic efforts to reach a potential agreement, Oman’s Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi announced on Sunday.
Further Iran-U.S. nuclear talks are scheduled in Geneva on Thursday (26 February) as diplomacy resumes over Tehran’s nuclear programme following earlier mediation efforts. But will the talks move Iran-U.S. negotiations closer to a deal, and what should be expected from the meeting?
Mexican authorities said on Sunday that Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, known as El Mencho and head of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), was killed during a military operation in the western state of Jalisco.
Syria has secured a $50 million financing package from the World Bank to support transport infrastructure projects as the country advances its economic recovery efforts, Syrian media reported on Sunday.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s new 10% global tariffs have come into effect, hours after the Supreme Court blocked many of his sweeping import taxes in a 6–3 ruling. Allies around the world are weighing possible retaliation, while markets brace for further upheaval.
Torrential downpours have triggered deadly mudslides and widespread flooding in southern Peru, leaving at least seventeen people dead - including fifteen killed in a military helicopter crash - as hundreds of districts across the country remain under a state of emergency.
The U.S. ambassador to France, Charles Kushner, has been banned from meeting members of the French government after not showing up at the Foreign Affairs ministry, where he had been summoned over comments on the killing of a French far-right activist last week, diplomatic sources said on Monday.
Thailand and the United States, alongside 28 partner nations, began Southeast Asia’s largest and longest-running military exercise, the 45th Cobra Gold, on Tuesday (24 February) in Rayong province, Thailand.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 24th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment