The Readiness Deficit: A Comparative Analysis of Procurement, Public Consent, and the Structural Limits of European Rearmament

In this paper, we discuss:

• The gap between rising European defence spending and actual military capability delivery;
• Structural weaknesses in procurement systems limiting the effectiveness of rearmament;
• Diverging national trajectories, with some countries advancing faster than others;
• The critical role of public consent in sustaining defence policy and spending;
• The broader limits of European rearmament despite increased geopolitical urgency.

Download PDF: Deficit – April 2026