site.btaEU Defence Commissioner: Europe Will Be Stronger after Current Crisis

After the current crisis, Europe will be stronger, said European Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius on Friday during a meeting in Brussels organized by the International Economic Forum. He called for the implementation of the proposals outlined in the European Commission's White Paper on Defence - Readiness 2030.

Kubilius emphasized that they must develop projects of common interest, such as European air defence and the defence shield on the EU's eastern borders. “Today is not the end of an initial period of reflection, it’s also the start of joint action to mobilize Europe’s industrial and economic might to deter aggression and prevent war. That is why from now on our priority is implementation, implementation, implementation,” he added.

“Putin will not to be deterred if we shall read White Paper to him, he will be deterred if we shall turn the White Paper into action if we shall use it to build very real drones, tanks, artillery for our defence. That is our ambition,” he said.

Kubilius warned that the EU cannot defend itself if someone else decides whether it can pull the trigger. 

The EU Commissioner also referenced assessments from Western intelligence agencies indicating that Russia may strike an EU or NATO country in the coming years. He argued that Putin should not be tempted to take such actions and could be deterred by the development of European defence production. “Putin will not to be deterred if we shall read White Paper to him, he will be deterred if we shall turn the White Paper into action if we shall use it to build very real drones, tanks, artillery for our defence. That is our ambition,” he said.

Kubilius further noted that the EU and the US have so far provided Ukraine with proportional assistance, totaling around EUR 50 billion each. He pointed out that this amounts to less than 0.1% of the GDP of the allies.