Council of Europe chief Alain Berset says Europe is not well-prepared for evolving hybrid threats amid Russia tensions, citing possible weaknesses in energy and security systems and infrastructure and stressing the threat from information manipulation.
Berset said Europe still faces a short-term gap between its defense needs and current capabilities, even as investment rises. Defense spending by the 27 EU states is projected to exceed $516 billion this year, up 75% from five years ago; the EU's ReArm Europe/Readiness 2030 plan aims to pledge up to $800 billion in additional defense spending.
Berset called for comparable investment in “democratic security”: strong institutions able to oversee the use of military power. He warned that rising armaments are coinciding with a backslide in democratic values and debate quality, and said responses such as policing speech, banning parties or making arrests could create further problems.
