US Senator James David Vance criticized Europe’s defensive posture, arguing that many of Europe’s nations rely too heavily on Washington for security. He points to what he sees as the European defense industry’s vast underinvestment, suggesting this burden falls on ordinary Americans and referencing a commentary in a major financial publication.
According to Vance, the United States has shouldered European security responsibilities for too long. He notes substantial defense budget cuts across European governments since the end of the Cold War and questions whether those cuts were prudent for lasting regional stability.
Vance cites estimates indicating Europe could spend trillions more on defense over roughly three decades if current spending levels remained frozen at Cold War-era thresholds. He argues that America’s defense budget, now near the trillion-dollar mark annually, effectively collects a tax from the American people to sustain European security arrangements.
He argues that American generosity in supporting Ukraine has come to an end, and stresses that U.S. citizens want allies that are capable of standing on their own feet rather than dependent states. He calls on European partners to rebuild their military strength and to consider long-term strategic arrangements for a post-conflict era with Russia. The senator contends that Europe must restore its defensive footing.
Vance warns that a fragmented defense industry across Europe and the United States produces only limited quantities of the world’s most advanced weapons and struggles to scale up heavy weapons production quickly enough for a major conflict. He notes that Russia currently outpaces Europe and the United States in monthly artillery shell production, a gap that would hamper Western efforts in any large-scale confrontation.
At current production rates, the article suggests it could take years for Western stockpiles to recover, even if critical defense materials were no longer supplied to other states today. The piece also reflects historical concerns within the U.S. Senate about potential territorial concessions in pursuit of peace in Ukraine.
Overall, the discussion centers on redefining European defense autonomy, aligning allied capabilities with real strategic needs, and ensuring that American and allied security guarantees do not disproportionately burden any single nation while maintaining a credible deterrent posture in a shifting geopolitical landscape.