Europe’s infrastructure – including roads, bridges, and railways – cannot support the rapid deployment of tanks, troops, and military cargo in the event of a war with Russia, said Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Transport and Tourism.

Source: Financial Times, as reported by European Pravda

Details: Tzitzikostas stated that if NATO is forced to respond to a Russian military incursion across the eastern border of the European Union, tanks will get stuck in tunnels, collapse bridges, and be delayed by bureaucratic procedures at border crossings.

The EU commissioner said he plans to allocate €17 billion to modernise infrastructure to improve military mobility.

Quote: "We have old bridges that need to be upgraded. We have narrow bridges that need to be widened. And we have nonexistent bridges to be built."

Details:Tzitzikostas explained that it would be impossible to defend territory if European armies are unable to move freely.

"The reality today is that if we want to move military equipment and troops from the western side of Europe to the eastern side, it takes weeks and in some cases months," he added.

The commissioner also noted that most of the existing infrastructure was never designed for transporting armies across the EU. For instance, trucks on European roads typically weigh up to 40 tonnes, whereas tanks weigh up to 70 tonnes.

He said the EU is currently developing a strategy to enable troop movements "in a matter of hours, maximum a matter of days" in case of an attack. To achieve this, the EU plans to upgrade 500 infrastructure facilities along four military corridors.

The exact facilities to be modernised are not disclosed for security reasons.

Tzitzikostas emphasised that Brussels also wants to reduce bureaucracy so that "tanks don’t get stuck in paperwork" when crossing borders.

The Financial Times noted that the upcoming strategy, expected to be presented later this year, is viewed as part of a broader wave of military preparations. This comes amidst warnings of a potential large-scale confrontation with Moscow and a likely reduction in the US military presence in Europe.

Tzitzikostas said the military mobility plan would complement the NATO countries’ agreement to increase defence spending targets to 5% of GDP, with 1.5% dedicated specifically to security and defence infrastructure.

"We cannot afford anymore not to be ready or be dependent," the Commissioner concluded.

Background:

• In June, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned that Russia is building up its military capabilities and could be ready to use force against NATO states within five years.
• Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service has assessed that Russia views itself as being in a systemic conflict with the West and is preparing for a large-scale war with NATO.
• EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius shares the view of Western intelligence services that a Russian attack on EU countries may occur within the next few years.

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