by Billion Temesghen
BRUSSELS, June 10 (Xinhua) -- The recent announcement by the United States that it will reduce military presence in Europe, alongside the European Union's (EU's) persistently tense relations with Russia, has heightened security concerns across the bloc and accelerated efforts to strengthen military capabilities.
On Monday, Belgian Defense Minister Theo Francken announced plans to invest 3.7 billion euros (4.27 billion U.S. dollars) in defense innovation over the next decade. The Defense Ministry said the investment aims to boost research and development and strengthen the country's defense industry.
Countries including Germany, Britain, Poland and Romania have also announced new investment plans in defense spending, military procurement, and weapons production, while the EU's financing mechanisms to strengthen defense readiness have entered the implementation phase, in response to growing security concerns.
On June 5, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer warned of the possibility of Russia attacking a NATO member state and announced plans to raise defense spending to 2.5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) from 2027, with a further increase to 3 percent planned later.
Germany has also expanded military investment. According to data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, German defense expenditure rose 24 percent year-on-year to 114 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, exceeding NATO's 2 percent benchmark for the first time since 1990.
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has said the government aims to build the strongest conventional army in Europe by 2039. Berlin has also eased borrowing restrictions to support higher military spending and expanded defense procurement programs.
Countries on NATO's eastern flank are moving in a similar direction. Analysts cited by Fox News Digital said Poland, Romania, and the Baltic States have accelerated military procurement and increased defense spending faster than many Western European allies.
Romanian Foreign Minister Oana-Silvia Toiu said the country plans to allocate an average of 3.4 percent of GDP to defense next year through military procurement and strategic infrastructure projects.
Estonia is reported to raise defense expenditure to more than 5 percent of GDP from 2026, while Latvia has also adopted the 2026 defense budget, setting a target of 4.73 percent of GDP.
At the EU level, the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) programme adopted last year aims to provide long-term loans to support defense procurement and industrial development. It forms part of the broader ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030 initiative, which aims to mobilize more than 800 billion euros (923.95 billion dollars) in defense-related spending across the bloc, with a focus on closing critical capability gaps.
On May 29, Poland became the first member state to receive funding under the 150-billion-euro (173.24-billion-dollar) SAFE programme after obtaining a 6.6-billion-euro (7.62 billion dollar) pre-financing payment. With its multi-billion-euro "Eastern Shield" defense infrastructure project securing a large share of the SAFE funding, Poland is also one of NATO's largest military spenders.
Since the beginning of this year, the European Commission has approved two batches of defense investment plans for 16 member states, marking a significant step in the implementation of the defense financing mechanism.
European leaders are also focusing on expanding defense production. Following talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday, Starmer's office stated that the leaders highlighted an urgent need to increase production of air-defense interceptors and develop capabilities to counter advanced missile threats.
Analysts note that Europe remains heavily dependent on Washington for strategic transport, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. Nevertheless, defense spending and related industrial investment are expected to continue rising, as governments adapt to a changing security environment. ■