Facing Russian threat EU questions its logistical capacity to sustain a war in the East.

As the specter of Russian aggression in Eastern Europe continues to weigh on the continent’s defense strategies, a long-overlooked structural weakness is now emerging as a central issue: the state of civilian infrastructure. Inadequate roads, bridges unable to support the weight of armored vehicles, narrow tunnels, and administrative delays are all obstacles that would severely hinder a rapid military deployment in the event of a crisis. This warning was delivered unambiguously by Apostolos Tzitzikostas, European Commissioner for Transport, in an interview with the Financial Times. According to him, the European Union’s ability to respond effectively to an attack now depends on its capacity to rethink its land transport network fundamentally.
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Polish soldiers patrol the rail yard at Mockava, Lithuania, during Exercise Brilliant Jump 20. (Picture source:  NATO)

Moving troops or heavy equipment from Western Europe to its eastern borders could currently take several weeks, if not months. Such a delay is seen as untenable in the face of a potential Russian offensive. In a high-alert scenario, logistical failures are not just technical complications, they constitute a strategic vulnerability. The warning signs have multiplied: in May, Russia reinforced its military presence near the Finnish border, in a posture resembling the moves observed before the February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. This form of hybrid pressure demands from Europe a capacity for rapid, credible, and coordinated force projections, something current infrastructure cannot support.

The limitations are not only physical. Administrative procedures, which remain heterogeneous and often time-consuming, further impede the smooth movement of military assets across the Schengen Area. Transit authorizations, residual border checks, and the lack of harmonized digital mechanisms all contribute to reduced operational responsiveness. While these challenges are well known to military planners, they have long remained a low political priority. However, with the evolving strategic context, Finland’s accession to NATO, and growing pressure along Europe’s eastern flank, logistics has returned to the center of security planning.

This vulnerability is not new. As early as 2017, the multinational “Strong Europe Tank Challenge” exercise in Grafenwöhr, Germany, highlighted the difficulty of moving Leopard 2 tanks across European road networks. The issue has since extended to all heavy equipment, including armored vehicles, artillery, and logistics systems. In response, the European Commission is planning a major investment package worth €17 billion to upgrade over 500 critical points along military mobility corridors, particularly those leading to Poland, the Baltic States, and Romania.

The priority is clear: to strengthen load-bearing capacity and ensure compatibility with NATO standards. This involves upgrading bridges, standardizing tunnels, adapting roads, and ensuring that dual-use, civilian and military, criteria are integrated into large-scale infrastructure projects, such as the trans-European TEN-T corridors. The goal is to ensure that, if needed, any civilian road or rail axis can be rapidly repurposed for military use without technical constraints.

At the same time, comprehensive reform of cross-border procedures is necessary. The creation of a unified digital platform for military transit, along with interoperable logistics systems and real-time tracking, would eliminate administrative delays. Regular testing of these logistics chains through large-scale exercises would also strengthen the overall resilience of the system.

More than a matter of connectivity, this has become a core element of European strategic credibility. Military mobility cannot be guaranteed without infrastructure that is robust, agile, and coordinated across the continent. In an increasingly unstable security environment, transforming this structural vulnerability into operational leverage has become essential. For the European Union, defense now begins on the asphalt.