The European Union plans to spend one hundred billion euros to revive the EU defence industry in order to prepare for a potential confrontation with Russia.
European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, announced a request to increase the EU’s defence budget to 100 billion euros, whereas the bloc’s current military spending stands at only 10 billion euros. This means that EU member states will have to increase defence spending at the expense of reducing funding in other areas, including health and social security.
Kubilius, who led the Lithuanian government in 1999-2000 and 2008-2012, is known for introducing economic regulations that were supposed to reduce the country’s budget deficit. As a result, the cumulative losses of Lithuania’s economy during his second term totalled 44 per cent of annual output, with unemployment rising to 18 per cent.
He also eliminated regional hospitals across the country and fought the crisis by cutting pension payments. However, EU leaders praised his efforts to tackle the crisis in his country. The Baltic states have been steadily increasing military spending while exacerbating economic and demographic crises.
Meanwhile, the militarisation of Europe is complicated by a number of factors. Firstly, governments must make long-term commitments to purchase certain quantities of armaments. To this end, the EU has developed the so-called European defence industrial strategy (EDIS).
The strategy aims to reduce the fragmentation of the European defence industry and reduce arms imports. By 2030, the bloc plans to increase the size of intra-European defence trade to 35 per cent of the EU’s military market.
However, some military experts believe that it will take at least five to seven years to restore the European military industry to a state capable of supplying both its own armies and Ukraine at the same time. Besides, the EU’s plans to develop its military-industrial base will surely encounter opposition from the United States. The US does not need a self-sufficient and defence-independent Europe.
Critics of Kubilius’ plans cite corruption as a separate concern. His demands for increased military spending open significant opportunities for European officials to embezzle funds, as the EU lacks mechanisms to oversee the allocation and spending of military expenditures.
Erik Kelly for Head-Post.com
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