Brussels (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – EU Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius said that NATO countries should raise their weapons stockpiles faster, vowing the EU would back that goal with cash.
During the European Defence Agency’s annual conference, Andrius Kubilius said Europe should fulfill these increased targets
“no later than 2030, instead of in 2044, as planned.”
“NATO and member states assess military needs and set targets, and the European Union will support,”
Kubilius stated. A day earlier, Kubilius also stated that Europe should work on a series of expensive schemes of common interest: an Air Defence Shield, a North-East Border Defence Shield, a Cyber Shield, Military Mobility, and a Space Shield.
What are the goals of Kubilius’s defence proposals?
EU Defence and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, who took office some time back, has emphasised a number of strategic priorities related to strengthening EU defence capabilitiesEuropean Defence Union: the institutional pillar comes to fruition and meeting the evolving security challenge.
He emphasises building cooperative investments and joint defence procurements for all the states that make up the European Union. His plans will eventually look into a common defence market with present fragmented pieces and bring it towards more effective defence production, free from wasteful expenditure.
How does Kubilius advocate for a €100 billion defence budget?
Earlier, he asked for a drastic increase in the defence budget of the EU. He has suggested that the next seven-year budget should have an allocation of about €100 billion for the defence projects. This is an increase of nearly 10 times from the present allocation of only €10 billion. This reflects the urgency to increase military power due to rising geopolitical tensions, mainly because of Russia’s actions.
Kubilius also assures the creation of an actual European Defence Union through an integrated process of defence procurement between the member states. He claims that although the armed forces remain under national competence, there is an urge for a collective effort to develop defence capabilities within the EU.