Spooked by Trump and Putin, Europe rushes to rearm

The European Union, an entity that casts itself as a peace and trade project, is in crisis talks Thursday focused on defense.

Along with the specter of a belligerent Moscow, President Donald Trump’s sudden redrawing of alliances and withdrawal of aid for Ukraine are driving Europeans to fast-track plans to bolster their militaries, upgrade their arsenals — and, ultimately, to curb their dependence on the United States.

“I want to believe the U.S. will stand by our side, but we have to be ready for that not to be the case,” French President Emmanuel Macron told his country in a speech Wednesday night. “The future of Europe must not be decided in Washington or Moscow.”

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