Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany have once again returned to the idea of reviving the historic "Iron Rhine" railway line, which connects the port of Antwerp with the industrial Ruhr region in Germany.
According to Politico, the main reason was the growing military risks from russia.
Built in the 19th century, this line was of strategic importance during and after World War II, but has been almost unused since 1991. Today, the EU needs new routes for the rapid transfer of troops and equipment, as the existing railways are overloaded.
Experts believe that it is the military factor that can accelerate the decision to restore the "Iron Rhine". At the same time, the Netherlands is cautious about the idea, as it already has a parallel route from Rotterdam and is afraid of competition with the Belgian port of Antwerp.
The project has a long history of disputes, including environmental ones. In 2003, the dispute between Belgium and the Netherlands reached an arbitration tribunal, which allowed the restoration on condition that Belgium covers environmental costs.
A new chance for the railway opens up possible funding from the EU and NATO. The draft EU budget for 2027 provides for EUR 17 billion for the development of military mobility.
As a reminder, Germany has allocated USD 500 million for the purchase of US weapons for Ukraine within the framework of the new Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) mechanism.
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