Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Trump: We want to feed the people in Gaza, we do not want them to starve.
US President Donald Trump: We will impose sanctions on Russia if it does not end the war on Ukraine.
Israeli media: Polls show that 52% oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while only 29% support him.
Israeli media: 32% of Americans still support "Israel's" war on Hamas, while 60% oppose it.
Israeli media: Core US support for "Israel" hits its lowest, while support for Palestine reaches its highest levels.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent reports martyrs, injuries in Israeli bombardment of home in Heker al-Jame area in Deir al-Balah, central Gaza.
Al-Quds Governorate: Today, the spatial division of Al-Aqsa Mosque began in a public and dangerous manner, and we warn of a religious war in the region
The Ministry of Health in Gaza: This brings the total number of victims of famine and malnutrition to 175, including 93 children
The Ministry of Health in Gaza: Gaza's hospitals recorded six deaths due to starvation and malnutrition in the past 24 hours, all of them adults
Informed sources to Al Mayadeen: A new chapter in relations between Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency will begin within the framework of the new law passed by Parliament

EU military spending hits critical economic limit, Russia warns

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: News websites
  • 22 May 2025 09:33
4 Min Read

Russia’s Venediktov warns that EU military spending could cripple the economy, as €500B in defense funds may divert resources from social programs.

Listen
  • x
  • European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen addresses European Parliament members on new plans to ramp up defense spending agreed at a March 2025 summit in Strasbourg, eastern France (AP/Pascal Bastien)
    European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen addresses European Parliament members on new plans to ramp up defense spending agreed at a March 2025 summit in Strasbourg, eastern France. (AP/Pascal Bastien)

The European Union’s rapidly expanding defense budget risks becoming an unsustainable economic burden, according to Deputy Secretary of the Russian Security Council Alexander Venediktov, who warned on Wednesday that projected military expenditures could destabilize social and economic frameworks across the continent.

In an interview with RIA Novosti, Venediktov cited expert projections that the European defense budget is expected to rise by €500 billion ($567 billion) over the next decade, as EU leadership prioritizes military development.

“According to expert estimates, the additional investments in the military sector planned by the EU leadership over the next decade could reach 500 billion euros [$567 billion]. Obviously, this will be done by cutting programs in healthcare, social support, education, that is, at the expense of ordinary Europeans,” he said.

Venediktov: €500 billion military plan will hit health, education

According to Venediktov, EU military spending has already reached what he called "a critical level for the EU economy," with current figures exceeding €320 billion in 2024 alone. He argued that the push for higher defense spending reflects a larger strategy by the European Commission and individual member states, including the UK, Germany, and the Baltic countries, which he warned could result in the erosion of essential public services.

The Russian Security Council official emphasized that the budgetary focus on armament will likely force governments to slash vital sectors such as education, health, and social support in order to sustain military outlays.

Venediktov further predicted that the proposed defense spending surge would significantly damage the EU’s macroeconomic indicators, aggravating pre-existing vulnerabilities in the continent’s energy and industrial sectors.

Related News

Trump signals new US tariffs, warns trading partners of imminent hikes

France to impose handling fee on low-value Chinese packages

“The planned expenses will become an unbearable burden for the vast majority of European countries, where further economic stagnation, a growing energy crisis, and a decline in industrial production are predicted in 2025,” he said.

His remarks reflect Moscow’s ongoing criticism of NATO-aligned military expansions and a broader condemnation of what the Kremlin sees as militarization at the expense of social welfare.

Venediktov’s comments align with Russia’s longstanding stance that Western policies, particularly in relation to defense spending and sanctions, are short-sighted and detrimental to domestic stability within the EU.

As debates intensify over defense budgets and economic priorities, EU leaders are expected to face increasing scrutiny from both domestic constituencies and international observers regarding the long-term sustainability of their military strategies.

Germany’s industrial crisis reveals EU economic instability

A February 2024 Bloomberg report offers a critical real-world example that supports Alexander Venediktov’s warning about the EU’s growing economic instability. The report focused on Germany’s accelerating industrial decline, describing the loss of cheap Russian gas following the Ukraine war as the “final blow” to its manufacturing sector.

Once the EU’s economic powerhouse, Germany has seen century-old factories close and production shift abroad. The situation worsened after Berlin joined the 2022 boycott of Russian imports, leading to surging energy costs, mass layoffs at firms like BASF and Lanxess, and production cuts at Michelin and Goodyear.

At the time of the report, Russian President Vladimir Putin argued that EU leaders were “hurting their own people” under US pressure and condemned their silence over the Nord Stream sabotage, a series of underwater explosions in 2022 that disabled key pipelines delivering Russian gas to Germany, which Moscow attributes to the CIA.

On the other hand, as reported by the Associated Press (AP) earlier this month, Russia’s economy, despite mounting pressure, has outperformed many initial forecasts. Elevated defense spending has fueled short-term growth and kept unemployment low, even as it drives inflation. Wages have risen to match the cost of living, leaving many workers financially better off, while large enlistment bonuses and death benefits have channeled income into poorer regions.

Still, long-term vulnerabilities persist. Torbjörn Becker, Director of the Stockholm Institute of Transition Economics, told EU finance ministers that Russia’s financial system remains “not in balance,” warning of mounting risks tied to inflation and the absence of foreign investment.

The key question, he said, is how long Moscow’s militarized economy can sustain itself, and whether it can outlast Ukraine and its Western backers.

  • economy
  • Russia
  • EU Defense Budget
  • war in Ukraine
  • Ukraine war
Russia & NATO

Russia & NATO

As the Draconian Western-led sanctions on Russia exacerbate the economic crisis worldwide, and as Russian troops gain more ground despite the influx of military aid into Ukraine, exposing US direct involvement in bio-labs spread across Eastern Europe and the insurgence of neo-Nazi groups… How will things unfold?

Most Read

A rescued crew member from the ETERNITY C vessel in a video released by the Yemeni Armed Forces on July 28, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen Navy reveals fate of targeted Eternity C ship crew

  • Politics
  • 28 Jul 2025
An Israeli tank explodes following an ambush by al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza, Occupied Palestine, undated (Al-Qassam Military Media)

Al-Qassam strikes Israeli vehicles in Gaza, inflicts casualties

  • Politics
  • 30 Jul 2025
UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

  • Politics
  • 1 Aug 2025
An explosion seen during an Iranian missile attack on Tel Aviv, Occupied Palestine, June 13, 2025 (AP)

If Iran is attacked again, geography of response may change: IRGC spox

  • Politics
  • 30 Jul 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, takes part in a parade as he celebrates a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the Israeli regime in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, January 19, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Al-Qassam: We’ll allow aid to Israeli captives if Gaza siege ends

Freed Lebanese freedom fighter Georges Abdallah during an interview on Al Mayadeen, which aired on Sunday, August 3, 2025 (Al Mayadeen screengrab)
Politics

Exclusive: Resistance key to building state, Georges Abdallah says

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres gives a statement about the situation in Gaza at UN headquarters, Friday, June 27, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN warns Gaza faces water crisis, looming famine under Israeli siege

Israeli soldiers drive their armored personnel carrier along the Gaza Strip, in southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ex-Israeli general says Gaza starvation campaign isolated 'Israel'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS