Europe Is No Longer Pretending: The Continent Is Preparing for War

Eighty years after the end of World War II, Europe is once again undergoing a profound mental shift — from the idea of a *“continent of peace”*to that of a *continent on permanent military alert*. This shift is clearly visible in official statements and newly published security documents across several European states. Europe is actively preparing itself for a major confrontation with Russia —as early as 2026, or at the latest by 2027.Military budgets have risen sharply, with heavy investments flowing into ammunition stockpiles, air defense systems, and domestic arms industries. What makes this turn particularly striking is Europe’s open contradiction of its own past narratives. For years, Western institutions promoted cultural frameworks —including documents like the 2030 Agenda —that discouraged other nations from teaching military concepts, under the banner of reducing violence. Today, those same countries are openly discussing the return of paramilitary training, civil defense preparedness, and even mandatory conscription. Some European governments have gone even further, running public simulations of power outages, cyberattacks, and large-scale infrastructure disruptions measures that point to the anticipated scope of a future war. In short, Europe no longer thinks like a continent at peace —but like one bracing itself for impact.