Insightful stories of the most pressing local, regional, and international developments brought to you by Sputnik.

Europe's Arms Race Contributes to Escalation, Pushes Frontiers of Peace Even Further, Says Expert

16:55, 7 March 2025

Muhammad Nooh Osman

Writer/Editor

On Thursday, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged the EU to significantly increase its military capacity, framing it as a necessary response to what he sees as a looming arms race with Russia. Tusk's call joins a growing chorus of Western European leaders advocating increased defense spending, citing what they describe as a threat from Moscow.

Sputnik

The European Union's push for increased military spending stands in stark contrast to global disarmament efforts, potentially exacerbating conflicts like the one in Ukraine, according to Dr. Moses Khanyile, Director of the Centre for Military Studies (CEMIS) at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

"So we will always be trapped in this conflict-ridden environment, the security temperature will remain high, and therefore the quest for peace will be reduced, which is unfortunate," Dr. Khanyile warned in an interview with Sputnik Africa on the International Day for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Awareness.

The expert highlighted the fundamental contradiction between the global push for arms reduction and the EU's call for significantly increased military spending, possibly beyond 2% of GDP to "5% or 6%." This, he argued, directly undermines international efforts to reduce nuclear weapons.

"While everybody is saying, Let's do away with nuclear arms, Let's prevent the proliferation of nuclear arms, let's silence the guns, let's make sure that terrorists do not have access to advanced technologies … European countries are calling for rearmament at a very huge scale," Dr. Khanyile stated, underscoring the inherent conflict.

Russia's Special Operation in Ukraine

Statements About Providing Nuclear Weapons to Ukraine Border on Insanity, Kremlin Says

5 February, 13:55

The EU's stance also directly contradicts Russia's commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), a bilateral treaty that sets a global standard for nuclear powers. By not adhering to the spirit of the treaty, Dr. Khanyile argued, major powers send "a wrong message to the global community."

Dr. Khanyile expressed hope for a resolution to the Ukraine conflict, emphasizing the global community's anticipation of a conclusion.

"It creates a lot of problems for African nations and other less developed countries, so renormalizing trade relations, diplomatic relations, and engagement between Russia, the US, and European countries will be helpful to global peace," he stressed.

Opinion

US-Russia Talks in Riyadh: A Crucial Step Towards Global Stability, Says Nigerian Professor

19 February, 12:08

Commenting on recent remarks by US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that his country is "ready for war" with China, Dr. Khanyile criticized such a statement as "unhelpful" and "flying in the face of the disarmament debate."

"The point is that we can't be promoting escalation of tensions while we have these global challenges to deal with," he stated.

Finally, Khanyile highlighted the crucial role of the media in promoting disarmament and non-proliferation. He urged balanced reporting, highlighting instances of non-compliance with disarmament agreements, educating the public on the principles of disarmament and non-proliferation, and emphasizing the significant economic costs associated with rearmament.