Europe’s roads, railways, and bridges are not ready for war, EU transport commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas has warned.
In an interview with the Financial Times, he said tanks and troops would be delayed for weeks—or even months—if they had to cross the continent in the event of a Russian attack.
Many bridges are too old, narrow or simply nonexistent, and border bureaucracy remains a major obstacle.
Tzitzikostas is preparing a €17 billion plan to upgrade 500 critical sites along four military corridors, in coordination with NATO. The projects remain confidential for security reasons.
He said the EU’s current infrastructure, built for 40-tonne trucks, is unfit to carry 70-tonne tanks. The aim is to ensure troop movements “in a matter of hours.”
The strategy will be unveiled later this year, as part of wider EU defence efforts amid fears of a reduced U.S. presence and renewed Russian aggression.
