That’s not at all to say the US shouldn’t contribute to help their (previous?) allies, but at least the blundering haphazard mad house that is the current White House has accidentally prodded Europe to help itself more.

[–] Dremor@lemmy.world 13 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

I think there is multiple factors here.

First, Europe wasn't a major weapon producer, and ramping up production takes time. You have to recruit people, teach them, and buy heavy machinery, which also take time to produce.

Secondly, Europe isn't as unified as the US. It formed around the idea of preventing future wars, and on that aspect it worked spectacularly well. There was no war between EU countries since WW2. But cultural differences are still there, and its institutions require a consensus, not a majority. So it is hard to take immediate decision. Ironically, USA withdrawal is what made the consensus easier to reach, because major countries that were reticent became aware that they had to act now or fold to Putin.

[–] speckofrust@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 week ago (1 children)

You’re making good points and they’re all true, though it just seemed quite coincidental to me that in the exact year that the US drops a lot of support for Ukraine, the EU just happens to be capable of ramping up the funds available to their eastern neighbor.

Thankfully, the EU is not the US, but I still believe that political will has been playing an outsized role until Trump curtailed US support. Of course there’s obstructionist Orbán, at least for now, yet somehow in 2025 the EU still managed to increase their support for Ukraine.

I really hope that continues and even expands. Otherwise it may be dark times ahead for the entire EU, which I don’t want to see.

[–] Dremor@lemmy.world 1 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

So do I.

But if I have to defend my country (or the EU), I'll make sure to remind the Russian why during WW2 most of the Nazi soldiers where more afraid of the French than the US army 😈.

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