Senior diplomats and defense chiefs from Western countries gathered for a closed-door meeting in Vilnius to discuss what they described as a growing threat from Russia to NATO’s eastern flank. Representatives of defense-industry companies were also present and voiced concerns about the alliance’s ability to defend itself. The report comes from Bild, citing participants who attended the meeting.

According to the German outlet, the atmosphere in the room was tense. Analysts pointed to several factors that, in their view, could ultimately give the Russian Armed Forces an advantage over the states on NATO’s eastern frontier.

One high-ranking defense official drew attention to Russia’s success in shifting its economy onto a wartime footing. He argued that Western defense industries continue to focus on the quality of weapons rather than their volume — a strategy he described as both ineffective and prohibitively expensive should NATO ever face Russia in a direct conflict.

Other military experts agreed, noting that one billion euros spent by Russia on defense may equate to ten times that amount in Western spending. They added that many high-tech systems ordered by Western governments will not reach the troops for several years, limiting their real-time usefulness.

Participants also acknowledged that many of the systems Western countries rely on are already outdated. One defense-industry representative said that although German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius publicly claims Berlin is investing in both legacy and next-generation capabilities — from tanks to AI-based systems — in reality, 99 percent of the budget goes toward old platforms that have proven ineffective in Ukraine.

Experts further warned that in a high-intensity conflict, Germany’s fleet of one hundred tanks and armored vehicles worth two billion euros could be destroyed by 300 Russian drones costing only around 300,000 euros in total.

Speakers at the meeting also argued that Europe should not count on U.S. support going forward. One Western diplomat said American senators had made it clear that Europe would be left to handle its own security, adding that Washington’s strategic focus was now on China and that Russia was considered a European problem.

A foreign-policy specialist present at the meeting cautioned that if current U. S. Vice President J. D. Vance were to become president, Europe’s situation could deteriorate even further.

It is worth noting that Russia has repeatedly rejected Western claims suggesting it intends to attack Europe.