From Fat Cow to Fiery Dragon: How Europe Must Arm Itself for Total Ukraine Victory

We cannot change the past—but we can decide the future. And that future depends on Europe acting decisively, swiftly, and with the strategic clarity it has so far lacked. Watching the slow, hesitant manoeuvring of European political leaders, I asked myself: if I had just a few minutes to sketch out a plan that *could* work, what would it look like? The answer is simple: a **Europe+ coalition** (as coined by [Minna Alander](https://open.substack.com/pub/minnalander/p/is-trump-making-europe-great-again?r=1u5twq&selection=09a52261-f93e-400b-8c24-4f5161da2a93&utm_campaign=post-share-selection), willing EU countries, including the UK and Canada) built around one uncompromising objective—**TOTAL UKRAINE VICTORY.** ### **A Three-Step Plan for Action that we can do TODAY** 1\. **Send Ukraine everything they need—immediately.** No more half-measures, no more delays. Planes, intelligence, long-range missiles, drones, air defense. And **yes, even soldiers**—at the very least to secure Ukraine’s Belarusian border, easing the strain on Ukrainian forces which can then be sent to relieve the exhausted brigades on the Eastern and southern front lines. 2\. **Launch a war economy:** Identify Ukraine’s immediate and long-term military needs, then fast-track the construction of factories across Europe+ to meet them. Issue invitations to tender—restricted to European countries, Canada, and the UK—with **massive profits for those who meet deadlines, severe penalties for those who don’t.** This is how Europe has always done business—now, it must do war business the same way. 3\. **Isolate Putin’s enablers within Europe.** Any EU country still playing both sides must be given a stark choice: **stand with Ukraine, or be cut out.** No factories, no contracts, no jobs, no benefits from the war effort. You don’t get a piece of the future if you’re still clinging to the past. **From Fat Cow to Fiery Dragon** This isn’t just about helping Ukraine win—it’s about Europe itself. The EU was designed for peace through trade, and as such, has spent decades as an economic powerhouse but a geopolitical lightweight. That era must end. The war has made it clear: **Europe needs an autonomous defense.** Not as a replacement for NATO, but as a parallel force that can act **decisively** when needed. This plan isn’t perfect, nor is it ideal—but it plays to Europe’s strengths. The EU has mastered the art of leveraging the economy for political unity. Now it must weaponize that strength—not just for Ukraine, but for its own survival in an increasingly hostile world. It’s time for Europe to stop being a **fat cow ripe for exploitation** and start becoming the **fiery dragon** it was meant to be.