Summary

European officials are preparing a multibillion-dollar defense package to bolster regional security and support Ukraine, announced by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at the Munich Security Conference.

The package, potentially valued up to 700 billion euros, will fund military training, arms deliveries, and security guarantees amid concerns over Russian aggression and diminishing U.S. contributions to NATO.

The move follows calls for Europe to boost its own defense spending while U.S.-Russian talks, which exclude Ukraine and Europe, on ending the Ukraine conflict continue.

    • @commander@lemmings.world
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      -201 month ago

      It’s not just nice things, but useful ones.

      There are people living in poverty that could be brought out of it with this money. Instead it’s being used to kill each other.

        • @index@sh.itjust.works
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          -261 month ago

          Putin leverage military spending the same way: “if the west calm the fuck down we could”

          USA, Russia, China, Europe they are all corrupted as fuck ruled by maniacs who seek war and power.

          • @Semjaza@lemmynsfw.com
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            81 month ago

            All of Europe? All EU leaders? Just the EU president, who has a mostly ceremonial role?

            I’m being nitpicky, no state is anyone’s friend and no superpower (or wannabe) comes even half as close as a state to being on your side.

      • @M0oP0o@mander.xyz
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        71 month ago

        I am sure the russian/US/whoever will really like all those useful things. Those people in poverty will really do well under the aggressors rule. After all they will be all given a job (disposable soldier, baby machine, etc.) and when they die their family might even get a lada.

          • Flying Squid
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            91 month ago

            Then you’d be fine living in a world run by Kim Jong Un, right? Countries are invisible lines.

            • @index@sh.itjust.works
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              -151 month ago

              The world run by kim jong un is a military dictatorship that spend the equivalent of european billions in war. Unlike you i don’t want any of this shit, i would like public billions to be spend on useful things and not to fight proxy wars against made up enemies.

              • Flying Squid
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                101 month ago

                You’re changing the subject. I was talking about how sovereignty is useful.

                And I’d say it’s pretty fucking useful when a dictator is threatening to take over where you live.

                • @index@sh.itjust.works
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                  -141 month ago

                  In my country the only one threatening to take over is the fascist pm who backed public billions in war. Meanwhile public services are crumbling and people are literally dying because of it

                  • Flying Squid
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                    1 month ago

                    You’re trying to change the subject again. No one said anything about your country. I don’t know where you live, nor do I care.

                    However, I imagine you would care if some other country you didn’t like was threatening to take yours over and run it their way. I’m guessing you wouldn’t suddenly talk about invisible lines.

      • @FrostyTheDoo@lemmy.world
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        131 month ago

        Is your point that Russia should be allowed to steam roll through Ukraine? Europe shouldn’t help their allies and neighbors defend themselves? Standing up to bullies is worse than being a bully?

        Genuinely curious if you even have a point to make at all. I hope I’m just interpreting you wrong.

      • @Semjaza@lemmynsfw.com
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        101 month ago

        So since adjusting by PPP Russia has spent over a trillion in USD on the war, that makes Russia the aggressor?

      • @michaelmrose@lemmy.world
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        91 month ago

        You have to spend money on weapons in order to have the privilege of sitting peacefully with those weapons rather than dying on your enemies.

        • @index@sh.itjust.works
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          -91 month ago

          Peace is not achieved by spending trillions in war. Look around yourself what’s happening there’s no peace.

          • @michaelmrose@lemmy.world
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            01 month ago

            In all of history peace has only ever been achieved by being strong enough to deter would be conquerors. Without deterrence Russia would crush Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Ukraine whilst threatening all of Europe. The US would take Canada, Greenland. NK would take South Korea. China would take Taiwan.

            The world has never been free of evil powerful men who would take from their neighbors. What you think looks like peace has only ever been most of the situations being stable based in large part on people’s willingness to murder people who would come to murder and take from them. If you aren’t actually willing to fight you won’t find yourself safe very long.

            Military aid between nations creates stability by drastically increasing the cost of attacking one party lest an empire expand by taking one bite at a time and becoming strong enough to threaten larger neighbors in the process.

      • @ubergeek@lemmy.today
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        71 month ago

        So, the US and Russia are the aggressors, so, they need to be repelled, right?

        Which costs money.