Finnish PM Says Ukraine Shows That Europe Isn't Strong Enough Without the U.S.

It may seem obvious to most Americans, but Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin dared to say the “brutally honest” truth out loud: Europe is too reliant on the U.S. for its security.

It’s no secret, of course. But it’s a topic not discussed or mentioned often in Europe. It’s more likely to be whispered between EU leaders than openly discussed in a conference.

That’s because if Europe were ever to acknowledge the supremacy of the United States and that NATO couldn’t get along without us, alliance members would have to pony up a lot more in Europe’s collective defense than the paltry 2% they are spending now. They know that the United States defense shield allows them to enjoy the luxury of being kept safe while still being able to criticize the United States when their left-wing subjects get their panties in a twist over something America has done — or hasn’t done.

“I must be brutally honest with you, Europe isn’t strong enough right now,” Marin said in remarks at a think tank in Sydney, according to Reuters. “We would be in trouble without the United States.”

She added, “The United States has given a lot of weapons, a lot of financial aid, a lot of humanitarian aid to Ukraine, and Europe isn’t strong enough yet.

The Guardian:

Marin insisted Ukraine must be given “whatever it takes” to win the war, adding that the United States had been pivotal in supplying Kyiv with the weapons, finance and humanitarian aid necessary to blunt Russia’s advance.

“We have to make sure that we are also building those capabilities when it comes to European defence, the European defence industry, and making sure that we could cope in different kinds of situations,” she said.

Marin said that when Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February, the priority of most Finns changed “overnight” to security.

Finland is preparing to join NATO if and when Turkey and Hungary give the go-ahead, and an honest voice that reminds the other NATO members of their joint defense responsibilities would be welcome.

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For a small nation, Finland appears to be carrying more than its share NATO’s defense burden.

Finland, which has a population of 5.5 million, still has military conscription for men, and has a wartime troop strength of 280,000, with 870,000 trained as reservists. It spend 2% of GDP on defence, a higher proportion than most Nato members. The country fought two wars against Russia in the 1940s, in which 100,000 Finns died.

“Our story after the wars, when we gained our independence, is a successful one,” she said. “We have to make sure that Ukrainians have that hope, that they will have that future.”

Marin has also warned Europe of its reliance on China for technology and hopes that Europe can begin to develop homegrown sources for advanced systems.