EU defence spending has reached €343 billion, a 19% increase from 2023 to 2024. Poland leads with 3.8% of GDP spent on defence, while Ireland spends only 0.2%. The EU's military capabilities are fragmented compared to the US, Russia, and China, which have lower costs and more effective planning. The EDA predicts EU spending could reach €381 billion by 2025, but stresses the need for cooperation and personnel recruitment to improve effectiveness. Teljes cikk (Euronews.com)