Implications of the Ukrainian crisis for the EU defense sector: cases of Germany and France

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Implications of the Ukrainian crisis for the EU defense sector: cases of Germany and France
// Pathways to Peace and Security. 2024. No 2 (67) . P. 224-240
DOI: 10.20542/2307-1494-2024-2-224-240

Abstract. The article deals with implications of the conflict in Ukraine for the defense sector in two leading states of the European Union – Germany and France – in 2022–2024. The authors explore the evolution of defense sector at three levels: strategic, economic (budgets and armed forces modernization), and industrial (development of military production). It is shown that while Germany and France partially borrow the experience of military operations in Ukraine, it does not lead to comprehensive transformation of their armies and transition to a “war economy”. The analysis of the German and French military budgets and army modernization priorities reveals the increase in military spending. Both countries accelerate weapons procurement and modernization, but their rearmaments are moderate. The focus on several key areas of German and French defense sector (air defense systems, armored vehicles, artillery, artillery shells, and aviation) confirms previously identified trends: both countries step up production for certain types of weapons (armored vehicles, air defense, artillery), but avoid comprehensive build up of production capacities. The slow and partial capacity building stems from uncertainty in Berlin and Paris about the future military demands and from the lack of state military procurement. Besides, despite some joint initiatives, Germany and France tend to specialize rather than to combine capabilities in developing their military-industrial complexes. 

Keywords: defense sector, European Union, Germany, France, NATO, conflict in Ukraine, Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP), “European Sky Shield” initiative


About author
Ilya Kramnik is a Research Fellow, The Center for Strategic Planning Studies, Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences.
Pavel Timofeyev is a Head of Section for Regional Issues and Conflicts, Department for European Political Studies, Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences.
Maria Khorolskaya is a Research Fellow, Department for European Political Studies, Primakov Institute of World Economy and International Relations, Russian Academy of Sciences.

For citation:
Kramnik I., Timofeev P., Khorolskaya M. Implications of the Ukrainian crisis for the EU defense sector: cases of Germany and France // Pathways to Peace and Security. 2024. No 2 (67) . P. 224-240. https://doi.org/10.20542/2307-1494-2024-2-224-240



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