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[INTERNATIONAL] · Italy, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Poland · 25 sources

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Europe unprepared for prolonged war with Russia, NATO planners warn

Defense officials and NATO planners warned at the Munich Security Conference that Europe is currently unprepared for a prolonged war of attrition with Russia. A primary concern is the lack of public readiness and the potential for European citizens to resist the economic and social sacrifices required for a long-term conflict. This lack of preparedness may force NATO to focus its military planning on relatively short-duration conflict scenarios.

Experts also highlighted that Russia may already be gaining an advantage through hybrid warfare, exploiting political and social divisions across the continent. The rise of populist movements in major European military powers, including Italy, France, and Poland, further complicates defense coordination. This political shift threatens the proposed E5 coordination group, which aims to unify the defense efforts of Europe's five leading military powers to offset potential reductions in U.S. conventional military commitments.

Additionally, critics noted that Western governments have failed to adequately inform the public about the true scale of the hybrid threat, leaving leaders with the difficult task of convincing unprepared voters to shift funding from social programs to military spending.

Entities

E5 coordination group · Europe · European Union · Munich Security Conference · NATO · Russia · United Kingdom

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