Update on Europe’s defense capabilities – could decide the war
A lieutenant colonel is now warning about European weapons caches.
Over the past year, the West, including many European countries, has sent weapons and other military material to Ukraine in connection with the Russian invasion. The support has been steadily stepped up and from some countries being hesitant about heavy weapons and tanks, they have now gone so far as to send fighter planes.
Now, however, a lieutenant colonel warns that the European arsenal may be about to run out. This is reported by Swedish Radio.
Lieutenant Colonel Johan Huovinen believes that the situation is becoming problematic. He believes that we are beginning to approach the end of the road in terms of what Europe can offer.
“It is a bit unclear, I would like to say,” he says about what Europe can provide Ukraine with in the future. “It is a little in that direction. They have not received surplus material, things that are left over, but they have received qualified technical military equipment. There is not much to give in our chests of drawers and our storage rooms.”
Many observers believe that it may be the availability of weapons that determines the war in Ukraine.
Russia has continued to expand the military branches and increase its military spending. At the same time, many Western countries have gone in the opposite direction for 20 years, which means that Europe is now starting to reach the “rear wall” in the weapons stockpile.
Huovinen believes that the political will to provide continued support to Ukraine is now becoming very important.
During his visit to Sweden earlier in August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy asked about the Gripen combat aircraft when he met Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (M).
“Gripen is Sweden’s pride. Such pride can be shared with Ukraine,” Zelenskyy said according to SVT.
In the past, the Netherlands and Denmark have said that they will send fighter jets of the F-16 type to Ukraine.
“This will mean that the Ukrainians, to a greater extent, will be able to give their forces greater maneuvering space on the ground,” says Karsten Marrup, major at the Danish Defense Academy, to DR.
Photo: J. Thungren The Swedish Armed Forces
Text: The editors