this post was submitted on 18 Feb 2025
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Summary

European officials are preparing a multibillion-dollar defense package to bolster regional security and support Ukraine, announced by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at the Munich Security Conference.

The package, potentially valued up to 700 billion euros, will fund military training, arms deliveries, and security guarantees amid concerns over Russian aggression and diminishing U.S. contributions to NATO.

The move follows calls for Europe to boost its own defense spending while U.S.-Russian talks, which exclude Ukraine and Europe, on ending the Ukraine conflict continue.

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[–] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 87 points 3 days ago (7 children)

We (EU) should have unleashed our defense industry 3 years ago. Hopefully, the US MIC received the message, their profits are going to sink unless the orange turd starts to provide military aid to fucking Russia.

[–] leftover@lemm.ee 36 points 3 days ago (2 children)

I am an American and I am willing to endure the pain caused by the rest of the world telling our orange turd to fuck off. Please do it. Please make it so incredibly painful that even those who love Orange Turd will start to smell it and reject it. Make it sooo sooo bitter!

[–] thatKamGuy@sh.itjust.works 14 points 2 days ago (1 children)

MAGA cultists will gladly eat up all the shit that’s served to them, and even gleefully ask for more of they think there’s even a passing chance that a Dem/liberal/leftie would smell their breath.

The US willing descent towards Gilead has been horrific to watch, as an outsider.

The sooner the rest of the civilised world decouples from that insanity, and hopefully bands together around the common ideals that the US used to (at least pretend to) represent - the better.

[–] subarctictundra@lemmy.world 4 points 2 days ago (2 children)

The sooner the rest of the civilised world decouples from that insanity, and hopefully bands together around the common ideals that the US used to (at least pretend to) represent - the better.

The problem is that I feel the rest of the civilized world is going down the same path, and is just several big steps behind...

[–] thatKamGuy@sh.itjust.works 6 points 2 days ago (1 children)

That well may be the case, all we can do is hope that the rest of the world can bulwark against the rise of Fascism long enough to watch it fail in the US - at which point, it should hopefully diminish its allure.

[–] subarctictundra@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

That's true. Much like Brexit in the UK stopped other countries' appetite for their own brexits.

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[–] echodot@feddit.uk 3 points 2 days ago

Trump could literally start world war 3 and his supporters would still back him.

[–] Peck@lemmy.world 10 points 2 days ago (3 children)

Hey I'm American and I'm all for EU paying for the war in perpetuity and for our mic sinking all the way to the bottom on Mariana trench.

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[–] frezik@midwest.social 9 points 3 days ago (5 children)

In a way, it's what I was hoping would happen. The US backs off its own defense spending and stops acting like the world police force. The flip side of that is that Europe and the rest of the world picks up their own defense.

What I had in mind as an end game is that the US would be at a table of equals. That's not at all what this is.

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 5 points 2 days ago (1 children)

What the realistically means is Europe will be starting it's nuclear weapon programs in earnest again. France and the UK have a handful, but it'll need a lot more to be an actual deterrent for Russia.

Russia only cares about Moscow and st Petersburg. Britain and France have more than enough to turn those two cities into glowing glass craters.

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[–] geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml 11 points 2 days ago (4 children)

Where was this three years ago? Europe wants to make sure every last Ukrainian man is thrown into the meat grinder.

[–] boonhet@lemm.ee 29 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Our leaders have been too complacent, for what I think is a simple reason: It's easier to depend on the Americans so your own national budget doesn't take a hit and cause you to lose the next election.

Now that we've seen that the US is an unreliable ally and (rightfully) wants to reduce its' own military aid spending, they're hopefully seeing the bigger picture.

[–] geneva_convenience@lemmy.ml 5 points 2 days ago (2 children)

But why did Europe wait for America to bail before suddenly pulling a trillion dollars out of their pocket?

If Ukraine was supposed to win Europe should have thought about ponying up that cash a bit sooner.

[–] boonhet@lemm.ee 13 points 2 days ago

Because as soon as you propose spending billions of dollars on defending another country, people will generally say "but I don't wanna pay more taxes or lose out on any comforts", which causes you to lose your position of power in case of a democracy. It all comes down to selfishness in the end.

[–] echodot@feddit.uk 7 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Because they didn't need to. As long as the United States was spending money on their truly vast military and was using that military capacity to defend Ukraine there was no requirement for any other the country do anything.

Now that the US has decided to become a pawn of Russia, it has become important.

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[–] Rooty@lemmy.world 2 points 2 days ago

Better late than never.

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[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 71 points 3 days ago (1 children)

This is the best thing about a Donald Trump presidency: sometimes good things happen by accident, and it's definitely a good thing for the EU to be depending less on the US.

[–] Lux18@lemmy.world 13 points 3 days ago (2 children)

Same thing that happened with Canada. This man is so stupid it's coming full circle

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[–] PugJesus@lemmy.world 131 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Thank you, Europe. God, let this be what Ukraine needs.

[–] BastingChemina@slrpnk.net 15 points 3 days ago

This is also what Europe needs. Europe needs to seriously increase their domestic military manufacturing capabilities now that the US has proven they can't be trusted.

If this money is invested in European military industries then they will need to considerably ramp up their production and overall it will strengthen European military power.

[–] FenrirIII@lemmy.world 23 points 3 days ago

They also need to cut the US out of any involvement in Ukraine

[–] EndofLife@feddit.org 55 points 3 days ago (7 children)

Don't forget to save some for the war against America.

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[–] superkret@feddit.org 1 points 1 day ago

yeah, that would have been an even better idea, 3 years ago.
Day 1 of the invasion, cut literally all economic ties with Russia and put 3% GDP into defense across the EU.

[–] Sunshine@lemmy.ca 21 points 3 days ago (10 children)

Finally Ukraine is getting the help they need! Kick out Russia once and for all!

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