Can European Defense Walk the Walk?

One of the biggest talking points in Brussels this year is European defense and how to boost it. This discussion has gained momentum due to Russian advances in Ukraine and the pressure from a new U.S. administration. U.S. President Donald Trump has reiterated that 5 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) should be the new benchmark for defense spending -- a target that no EU nation is currently meeting. It is therefore no surprise that Poland -- which, with 4.7 percent, is the bloc's highest defense spender in terms of the share of its national…