Transport director states EU roads not ready for war
(MENAFN) The European Union's transportation network is not equipped to handle military movements in the event of war, according to the bloc’s transport commissioner, Apostolos Tzitzikostas. In an interview with the Financial Times published on Tuesday, he stated that Europe’s roads, railways, tunnels, and bridges are currently unable to support the swift deployment of tanks, troops, and military equipment.
Tzitzikostas emphasized that any future defense efforts could be severely hindered without significant upgrades to infrastructure. He warned that NATO forces attempting to respond to a potential invasion could be delayed by outdated tunnels, structurally weak bridges, and complicated border procedures.
“It can take weeks, even months, to move troops and equipment from western to eastern Europe,” he explained. “We have outdated, narrow, or missing bridges that make rapid movement nearly impossible.” While commercial trucks typically weigh up to 40 tons, military tanks can weigh as much as 70 tons—far exceeding the load capacities of much of Europe’s current infrastructure.
To address the issue, Brussels is preparing a comprehensive plan aimed at improving military mobility. The strategy includes the upgrade of 500 infrastructure projects across four designated military corridors and the reduction of bureaucratic hurdles at borders. Though the list of projects is classified and developed in coordination with NATO, the total cost is estimated at €17 billion ($19.7 billion). The strategy will be officially introduced later this year.
This initiative is part of a broader European effort to bolster military readiness amid what officials call a growing threat from Russia. These efforts include the €800 billion “ReArm Europe” defense investment plan and commitments by NATO countries in Europe to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP.
Russia has rejected these concerns as unfounded. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov claimed the West uses the image of Russia as a threat to justify increased military budgets. Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has accused Western leaders of steering Europe toward direct confrontation.
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