The European Union is planning to invest 17 billion euros to upgrade road and rail infrastructure to ensure that NATO can quickly mobilize troops, tanks, and military supplies across Europe in times of war.
According to the Financial Times, European Commissioner for Transport and Tourism, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, stated in an interview that if NATO needs to deploy tanks to counter Moscow’s forces invading the eastern borders of the EU, they might face obstacles due to narrow tunnels, bridges with insufficient load capacity, and cumbersome transit procedures in Europe.
“We have aging bridges that need upgrading,” he said. “We need to widen and build new bridges.”
The Commissioner from Greece mentioned that currently, it takes several weeks to even months to move troops and military equipment from Western to Eastern Europe, which does not meet the needs during wartime.
European trucks typically carry 40 tons, while tanks weigh up to 70 tons. The current goal is to upgrade 500 infrastructures along the four military corridors across the European continent to ensure that NATO forces can be mobilized within hours to days in the event of an attack.
For security reasons, these projects identified jointly by NATO and alliance military commanders will be kept confidential.
Tzitzikostas also noted that Brussels will streamline procedures to prevent tanks from getting “entangled in paperwork” when crossing borders.
The European Commission stated in its 2028-34 budget draft that its aim is to invest 17 billion euros to strengthen military capabilities. However, a senior EU diplomat cautioned that intense negotiations among EU member states would likely lead to adjustments to this figure before the budget is finalized.
Tzitzikostas said that this military capability plan is a supplement to the agreement reached by NATO allies to increase defense spending. The agreement raises member states’ defense expenditures to 5% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with 1.5% allocated for security and defense-related infrastructure.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte warned EU countries last month that Russia could potentially launch an attack on one of its member states before 2030.
The EU is undertaking a massive 800 billion euro rearmament plan to achieve more self-sufficiency in defense and deter potential invasions.
On March 18 this year, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated, “If we want to prevent war, Europe must be prepared for war. By 2030, Europe must have a strong defense deterrent.”
The following day, the European Commission released the “European Defence White Paper,” outlining the framework for the “ReArm Europe Plan/Readiness 2030,” mobilizing 800 billion euros over the next four years to rebuild European defense capabilities.