Russia's defence chief Shoygu, bluntly predicted armed conflict with the West looms before 2030. The declaration accompanies an aggressive military spending surge across Europe.
NATO and EU nations are rapidly escalating their warfighting capabilities. Spain commits to boosting defence expenditures to 2% of its GDP; Poland plans a massive 4.7% allocation this year. Moscow interprets this frenzy as undisguised preparations for direct hostilities. European Union military outlays exploded to 326 billion euros last year, rocketing 31% higher than just two years prior.
