Europe Launches Massive Defense Overhaul as U.S. Support for Ukraine Wavers

The EU's ReArm Europe plan and increased national defense budgets aim to modernize militaries and reduce reliance on U.S. security guarantees.

The European Commission has proposed the ReArm Europe plan, offering €150 billion in defense loans and loosening fiscal rules to boost military spending across member states.
European leaders are responding to reduced U.S. support for Ukraine with unprecedented defense investments, including a broader €840 billion military readiness initiative.
Germany, France, and other nations are prioritizing defense modernization, with Germany planning constitutional amendments to exempt defense spending from fiscal constraints.
The EU's military buildup highlights gaps in conventional and emerging technologies, such as hypersonic weapons and advanced air defense systems, where Europe lags behind global powers.
European defense manufacturers are experiencing record stock gains as nations ramp up procurement, revitalizing a defense industrial base that had diminished after decades of reduced spending.