72-Hour survival kits are being recommended for Europe’s residents.

The EU’s transport commissioner has stated that Europe’s roads, bridges and railways are not fit for the rapid continent-wide transport of tanks, soldiers and military equipment needed in the event of a possible Europe–Russia war. Apostolos Tzitzikostas told the Financial Times that if NATO tanks were called in to respond to a Russian invasion on the EU’s eastern border, they would get stuck in tunnels, bridges would collapse, and border protocols would also slow them down.

Apostolos Tzitzikostas wants to spend €17 billion to modernize the continent’s infrastructure in order to improve military mobility. “We have old bridges that need renovation. We have narrow bridges that need widening, and we have bridges that still need to be built,” he said. The Greek commissioner argued that it is impossible to defend the continent if European armies cannot move quickly:

“The reality today is that if we want to move military equipment and troops from Western Europe to Eastern Europe, it could take weeks—or in some cases months.”

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte warned in June of the likelihood that Russia would attack one of the defensive alliance’s member states by 2030. The European Commission, in its 2028–2034 budget proposal, indicated it intends to invest €17 billion to facilitate military mobility. Tzitzikostas said the military mobility plan would complement NATO allies’ decision to raise defence spending to 5% of GDP, with 1.5% allocated to security and defence infrastructure. “We cannot afford to be unprepared or dependent,” Tzitzikostas said.

While boosting defence spending and building strong militaries are clearly important priorities, the warmongering and spreading “war psychosis” in Brussels’s communications are no longer just about showing strength on the continent.

Instead, they appear to be part of a communications strategy—despite most experts agreeing that Russia has not intention of attacking Europe or NATO.

War Psychosis: A Survival Kit for Every Household!

Most Czechs are unprepared for emergencies and lack basic supplies, said Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakusan this week as he presented a new emergency preparedness guide. “We know that 73% of the population is not prepared for crisis situations. They have no emergency supplies or other basic necessities ready,” he said, citing a public opinion survey commissioned by the Czech Interior Ministry. While 97% of citizens trust firefighters, 76% trust the police, and 74% trust the army to provide help in emergencies, many also want to know how to take care of themselves, the study found.

The new guide, titled “72 Hours”, offers practical advice for the first three days of an emergency, covering scenarios such as floods, fires or disruptions to essential services.

This follows the EU’s Preparedness Union strategy, launched in March 2025, which encourages member states to promote at least 72 hours of self-sufficiency. The Czech initiative draws inspiration from Nordic countries like Sweden and Finland, where similar household preparedness guidelines are provided.

Europe’s Recommendation: Preparing Citizens

Across Europe, an increasing number of countries are preparing their populations for war or other emergencies, stressing the importance of citizens being able to support themselves for at least 72 hours. In Finland, online guidance for handling incidents—including blackout preparedness—was updated as early as November last year. Sweden sent survival advice booklets to millions of households.

In Germany, a “bunker finder” app is helping residents locate shelters, while the Netherlands is urging a return to a Cold War mindset.

In March, Dutch Justice and Security Minister David van Weel said citizens must be ready to “manage without central government” in the event of “a real conflict,” likening the mindset to that of the Cold War: “Back then, we knew exactly what to do the moment the alarm sounded,” he told local newspaper De Telegraaf.

Nederland volgt het Europese advies: iedere Nederlander moet zich 72 uur kunnen redden bij een cyberaanval, ramp of oorlog. Onze weerbaarheid moet omhoog. Het kabinet stelt 5 vitale sectoren als prioriteit: logistiek, elektriciteit, water & voedsel, gezondheidszorg en overheid ⤵️ https://t.co/6zZiEU70pT

— David van Weel (@ministerjenv) March 6, 2025

In the Czech Republic, the 72 Hours campaign offers multilingual guides (in English and Ukrainian) for power outages and other disasters. Poland and France launched war crisis guides and survival kit recommendations in March. Norway and Denmark updated their advice in August in the shadow of the Russian threat. Since December, Belgium has been recommending home emergency kits, to even include gas masks.