Belgium's Defense Minister says leadership left Europe dependent on US
Francken described the current global situation as arriving “like a storm,” suggesting that what is unfolding now is a preview of future challenges. He argued that Europe’s long-term emphasis on soft power over hard military strength has created a stark strategic reality. “A world in which our vision of the international legal order is not shared by everyone. The strong do what they want, the weak suffer what they must,” he said, emphasizing that nations without credible military capabilities risk being marginalized in international affairs.
He stressed that Belgium and the wider European continent continue to be “heavily dependent” on U.S. military support, both in the context of the Ukraine conflict and for their own national defense. Francken criticized what he called the “hypocrisy” of questioning American reliability while insisting European forces act only with U.S. backing. He attributed this dependence to years of budget cuts and structural gaps in intelligence, air defense, aerial refueling, and unmanned systems. “Why are we so weak? Because we have completely cut our defense budget… What position have we put ourselves in? What position has weak European leadership brought us to?” he asked.
Regarding Greenland, Francken clarified that no requests have been made for Belgian troop deployments from the EU, Denmark, or NATO and emphasized that Belgium has no planned military involvement there.
Francken’s remarks highlight ongoing concerns in Europe about the need for stronger autonomous defense capabilities and a more balanced approach to security in light of evolving global threats.
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