*Permanently Deleted*

Omg yes, finally. We *need* to invest more in defense, pacifism won't work. If we don't defend ourselves or delay it for too long we will get wrecked by Russia and other global forces.

EU defence in numbers

TLDR:

• Between 2021 and 2024, EU member states’ total defence expenditure rose by more than 30%. In 2024, it reached an estimated €326 billion - about 1.9% of EU GDP

• Total spending on defence research and development, which includes any payments up to the point where expenditure on production of items starts, reached €11 billion in 2023 (6% more than in 2022) and €13 billion in 2024

• Enhanced cooperation on defence investments is crucial. The European Union has allocated €16.4 billion (in current prices) to security- and defence-related activities under the multiannual financial framework (MFF) 2021-2027. The funds help support research and development, enhance military mobility, ramp up industrial production capacity and promote joint procurement.

• In 2023, the European defence industry generated a turnover of €158.8 billion, a 16.9% increase from the previous year. This resulted in a substantial increase in employment in 2023, with the total number of jobs reaching 581 000. This was an 8.9% increase compared to the previous year.