Putin, Trump, production capacity: the defence challenges facing Europe

It is generally agreed Europe needs to spend more on defence, but questions remain about how much and how fast this can be achieved

Europe is racing to avoid a blame game" on defence as it grapples with how to increase production amid a serious ammunition shortage in Ukraine and growing questions over the future of US support.

As Ukraine enters the third year of Russia's full-scale invasion and worries mount about the US commitment to Nato, politicians, diplomats and experts largely agree that Europe needs to do more on defence. The fraught topic will no doubt be on the agenda as about 20 European leaders gather in Paris on Monday to send Vladimir Putin a message of European resolve.