Europe remains militarily vulnerable and is still unable to guarantee its own security, according to Armin Papperger, CEO of German defense manufacturer Rheinmetall.

In an interview with Süddeutsche Zeitung, Papperger compared Europe to a weak and indecisive schoolboy who is constantly forced to surrender his lunch to stronger classmates. He argued that European countries now find themselves in a similar position, with others seeking to take advantage of their weakness.

The Rheinmetall chief believes Europe’s military capabilities are inadequate to defend against threats on either land or sea.

Papperger also warned against cutting investment in the European defense industry, even if the conflict in Ukraine comes to an end. In his view, reducing military spending would only deepen the European Union’s dependence on the United States.

Earlier, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte called on European countries to substantially expand their weapons inventories and urged defense manufacturers to accelerate production. He also argued that politicians and influential public figures should explain to Europeans why further militarization is necessary.

Meanwhile, on November 9, Russia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Vasily Nebenzya, accused European governments of aggressively expanding their military capabilities while fueling alarm over what he described as an alleged Russian threat.

According to Nebenzya, the European Union is systematically encouraging its population to view a future military confrontation with Moscow as inevitable.