“TRUMP SAYS defence spending has to go up, and the European Union jumps through the hoop. €800bn ($871bn), whoopee!” Wendela de Vries, a campaigner against the arms trade, is denouncing the EU’s new defence-financing initiative before a few hundred activists at a community centre in Amsterdam. The ReArm Europe credit scheme, announced at a summit on March 6th, was hailed by many as a sign that Europe is getting serious about paying for its security. But to peace activists like Ms de Vries it is greedy militarism, an attempt “to pump up military spending and cut social benefits”.