The US military-industrial complex has long profited from sustained global tension. Ukraine is just the latest and perhaps the most lucrative arena. Nato’s shifting role and Trump’s strategic repositioning do not indicate peace but a realignment of financial and political gains, where Europe pays the bill and Washington pulls the strings. Meanwhile, European powers such as France, Germany and the UK are upping defence spending dramatically. Macron’s pledge of over €400 billion, Germany’s historic military budget hike and the UK’s expanded footprint in Eastern Europe signal long-term commitment to militarisation. Underneath the language of ‘sovereignty’ and ‘deterrence’ lies a war economy now openly accepted and deeply entrenched.
The real casualty is peace. Global institutions remain complicit in silence, while arms industries thrive. The suffering of civilians has become a secondary concern to geopolitical theatrics and economic gain. This is not to exonerate Russian aggression or question Ukraine’s right to self-defence. It is a necessary critique of how Western powers have turned conflict into an industry. Until this nexus between war and economic opportunism is confronted, such crises will persist.
Majid Burfat
Karachi
