NATO faces a crisis of readiness due to the European Union’s fixation on green policies that increase energy costs and undermine military preparedness. Spain has rejected NATO’s proposed 5% GDP defense spending target, prioritizing green initiatives over security. The EU plans €1.6 trillion for green initiatives by 2030, twice its €800 billion defense budget, hamstringing military readiness. Policies like those outlined in the 2023 “Greening the Armies” report push virtual training to cut emissions, with habitat and waste rules restricting live-fire drills. France’s Cazaux air base, a Natura 2000 site, can’t train pilots adequately, and Sweden’s TNT factory faces delays from environmental permits. NATO’s readiness requires real-world training, not virtual exercises or recycling quotas that limit munitions practice and increase the costs of production.
Spain’s refusal to hike defense spending beyond 2 percent of its GDP due to welfare and green priorities risks NATO’s 3.5 percent core defense target, let alone the 5% advocated by President Trump. This forces the U.S., spending 3.2 percent of its GDP on defense, to shoulder more of the burden if Russia invades. The U.S. must urge NATO to screen green laws for their defense impacts, end costly wind and solar subsidies, and invest in reliable gas, coal, or nuclear reactors that power homes and militaries. By rejecting costly renewables and focusing on battle-ready forces, NATO can deter Russia, keep U.S. troops home, and ensure security without dead batteries or empty arsenals.
