Political tensions continue to rise across the United States. With an upcoming election between President Joe Biden and Former President Donald Trump looming on the horizon, the political landscape in the U.S. often feels more polarizing and divisive than ever. These tensions are now spilling over into international relations. The Trump administration’s former Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense Elbridge Colby recently told Politico that Eastern European countries should increase defense spending to 10%, because the U.S. won’t be there to help if Trump wins the eleection. (Check out how Trump and Biden compare on the most important issues.)
Some Eastern European countries like Lithuania and Estonia spend just 3% GDP on defense (though this exceeds the 2% GDP goal from NATO). However, considering the rapidly emerging geopolitical tensions on a global scale, an increase in spending might be necessary to ensure protection. Countries are beginning to assess where their military capabilities currently stand.
24/7 Wall St. decided to take a closer look at the military powers in Eastern Europe. To determine the countries with the strongest military might in Eastern Europe, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed 2024 Military Strength Ranking from Global Firepower, an annually updated defense-related statistics website with information on 145 countries. Global Firepower ranked 145 countries based on their PowerIndex, a composite of over 60 measures in categories such as military might, financials, logistical capability, and geography. The smaller the PowerIndex value the more powerful a nation’s theoretical conventional fighting capability is. We included supplemental information regarding active military personnel, military aircraft, vehicles, and naval power as well.
Why This Matters
Recent global events, especially the war between Russia and Ukraine, highlight the importance of defense capabilities. Eastern European militaries are sitting at a crucial crossroads, and the power dynamics of Eastern Europe hang in the balance. Should Russia advance further into Ukraine, or take over strategic strongholds like Kharkiv, Russia’s expansion could cause concern for NATO allies. If any of the conflict spills over into NATO territory, it could trigger Article 5 of the treaty resulting in NATO officially entering the conflict against Russia. (Here is what Europe has donated to Ukraine to fight the Ukraine-Russia War.)
Here is a look at the strongest militaries in Eastern Europe:
11. Moldova
- Military strength score: 4.2311
- Active military personnel: 77,500
- Total military aircraft: 3
- Total military vehicles: 450
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
10. Montenegro
- Military strength score: 2.9109
- Active military personnel: 7,850
- Total military aircraft: 11
- Total military vehicles: 662
- Total navy ships and submarines: 13
9. Slovakia
- Military strength score: 1.1891
- Active military personnel: 19,500
- Total military aircraft: 37
- Total military vehicles: 2,048
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
8. Belarus
- Military strength score: 1.0901
- Active military personnel: 263,000
- Total military aircraft: 183
- Total military vehicles: 6,700
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
7. Bulgaria
- Military strength score: 1.0132
- Active military personnel: 40,000
- Total military aircraft: 65
- Total military vehicles: 7,420
- Total navy ships and submarines: 40
6. Hungary
- Military strength score: 0.8478
- Active military personnel: 76,600
- Total military aircraft: 62
- Total military vehicles: 7,797
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
5. Romania
- Military strength score: 0.7712
- Active military personnel: 151,300
- Total military aircraft: 131
- Total military vehicles: 9,990
- Total navy ships and submarines: 20
4. Czechia
- Military strength score: 0.7706
- Active military personnel: 32,200
- Total military aircraft: 88
- Total military vehicles: 6,757
- Total navy ships and submarines: 0
3. Poland
- Military strength score: 0.2917
- Active military personnel: 602,100
- Total military aircraft: 468
- Total military vehicles: 13,956
- Total navy ships and submarines: 45
2. Ukraine
- Military strength score: 0.2598
- Active military personnel: 2,200,000
- Total military aircraft: 321
- Total military vehicles: 22,110
- Total navy ships and submarines: 104
1. Russia
- Military strength score: 0.0702
- Active military personnel: 3,570,000
- Total military aircraft: 4,255
- Total military vehicles: 161,382
- Total navy ships and submarines: 781
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The post This Eastern European Country Has Over 600 More Naval Ships Than Any Rival appeared first on 24/7 Wall St..