EU roads, railroads and bridges are being modernized to allow troops to be deployed "in a matter of hours"
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The EU plans to spend 17 billion euros to modernize transport infrastructure to increase military mobility. This was reported in interview European Commissioner for Transport Apostolos Tsitsikostas told the Financial Times.

According to Tsitsikostas, European roads, bridges and railways are unsuitable for the rapid movement of tanks, troops and military supplies in the event of possible Russian aggression.

He noted that it would currently take weeks or even months for NATO to move military equipment from western Europe to the east.

Some of the bridges are too narrow or old, and some are non-existent. This makes it impossible for military vehicles to pass through, as a tank weighs up to 70 tons, while most European roads are designed for trucks up to 40 tons.

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That is why the EU plans to spend 17 billion euros on modernizing its transportation infrastructure. The plan is to upgrade about 500 facilities along four military corridors identified together with NATO.

Brussels also wants to reduce bureaucracy at the borders so that "tanks don't get stuck in paperwork" when crossing EU borders.

Thus, the bloc is developing a strategy that will ensure the movement of troops "in a matter of hours, a few days at most."

The initiative is part of a broader program to strengthen Europe's defense capabilities amid a declining U.S. military presence and threats from Russia.

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte in June warned that Russia could attack one of the alliance countries by 2030.

The European Union is also planning a large-scale rearmament worth up to 800 billion euros and supports NATO's initiative to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP.