Another impressive moment at Unternehmertag 2025: The Defence of Europe

One day after Ukraine’s spectacular drone strike on four strategically important airbases in Russia, it's worth revisiting a key panel from this year’s Unternehmertag in March: "“The Defence of Europe: Between Clout and a Reform Backlog".

How real is the threat of a Russian attack on Europe – and how well is the continent prepared?
Despite the significant losses of military hardware inflicted by Ukraine, the danger of further escalation is far from over.
Plans to attack a NATO member are no longer a far-fetched scenario – they’ve long been sitting in Putin’s drawer.

At Unternehmertag, Dr Hans Christoph Atzpodien (BDSV), Dr Vitali Shkliarov (Destinus), former Rear Admiral Jürgen Ehle, Professor Carlo Masala (UniBw Munich), and moderator Paul Ronzheimer (BILD) discussed the current security landscape.

• Russia is rearming – structurally, strategically, with NATO in mind
Tanks and missiles are being produced not just for the current war, but for potential future conflicts with the West.
Russia is expanding its armed forces to 1.5 million soldiers. New military districts are clearly directed towards Europe.
Meanwhile, the EU lacks strategic coordination, joint procurement, and political clout.
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• Europe’s window of opportunity is narrow
The next 3–4 years will determine whether Europe can close its defence gap.
Ukraine is buying us time – but that time is being squandered.
Reforms are stalling, processes remain overly complex, and fiscal caution is holding back urgently needed progress.
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• Military strength is not just about budget – it’s about efficiency
EU countries already spend more on defence than Russia – yet billions are wasted on duplication and national silos.
While Russia acts in a focused and standardised way, Europe remains fragmented and sluggish.
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• The future of defence is hybrid and tech-driven
The role of unmanned systems, AI and low-cost drones is growing rapidly.
Classic weapon systems must be supplemented with cutting-edge technology.
Europe has the industrial capacity to keep pace – what’s missing is political will and a more agile legal framework.

• The central challenge:
Europe’s security order is under pressure.
A limited Russian incursion into NATO territory – to test the alliance’s cohesion – could have disastrous consequences.
That’s why Europe must project credible deterrence – not only through words, but through action.

• What needs to happen now:
– No more scarcity management for the Bundeswehr
– Swift, unbureaucratic procurement procedures
– European coordination instead of national solo efforts
– Rapid deployment of new technologies: drones, AI, unmanned systems
– Above all: a return to realistic threat assessments

• Bottom line:
What long seemed unthinkable is now plausible.
For the first time in decades, worst-case scenarios are being taken seriously.
What matters now is whether Europe has the political will to recognise this new reality – and to act accordingly.

What Europe needs is not atcionism – but strategic clarity, political resolve, and industrial power.

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