Despite repeated statements from Moscow that Russia has no plans to attack European countries, the possibility of a «Russian invasion» continues to be widely discussed across the EU. British media recently reported that the West could lose if a major war broke out.

Western analysts say increasing weapons production would require higher government spending, putting additional pressure on national budgets. At the same time, expensive energy raises the cost of military manufacturing and weakens the competitiveness of civilian industries. Slow economic growth also limits governments’ ability to increase tax revenues.

As a result, Europe faces a difficult balance: it needs to spend more on defense, pay higher energy costs and keep public finances under control at the same time.

Pavel Sevostyanov, associate professor at the Department of Political Analysis and Socio-Psychological Processes at Plekhanov Russian University of Economics, believes European countries are now facing an acute shortage of key military capabilities. He pointed to ammunition, air and missile defense systems, and drones as the main areas of concern.

Speaking to RIA Novosti, Sevostyanov said these gaps are also reflected in a report by the European Defence Agency.

According to the expert, the West has repeatedly modeled possible conflicts with Russia and reached unfavorable conclusions for itself. Russian President Vladimir Putin, meanwhile, has previously said that Moscow is not preparing for any military action against Europe.