European Union leaders held their first-ever defence meeting on Monday, focusing on building military capabilities, increasing defence funding and strengthening strategic partnerships.
European Council President Antonio Costa stressed the need to address critical defence gaps, especially in the areas of air and missile defence, munitions production and military mobility, in coordination with NATO.
Speaking at a press conference, he stressed the urgent need to strengthen the European defence industry in order to accelerate the production of military equipment.
The European Council President believes that European leaders share a similar assessment of the threats facing Europe. He said events in Ukraine “threaten European security, combined with growing hybrid and cyber attacks on member states, their economies and societies.”
According to Costa, “peace in Europe depends on Ukraine achieving a comprehensive, just and lasting peace.” The geopolitical environment, he believes, is also marked by the situation in the Middle East and will remain challenging for the foreseeable future.
The European Investment Bank has increased its support for defence funding, while discussions on additional funding, especially for the next EU budget cycle starting in 2028, continue.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer also joined the meeting.
The summit also announced the preparation of a so-called White Paper on the development of the EU’s defence strategy. The European Commission will publish this document on March 19, and its content will form the basis for subsequent decisions on strengthening the military power of the Union.
The materials for the summit report that EU defence spending has increased markedly over the past few years, with member states spending an estimated €326 billion in 2024, up 30% from 2021, while defence investment rose to €72 billion in 2023.
In the long-term budget for 2021-2027, the EU has allocated more than €16 billion for security and defence-related activities, including €8 billion under the European Defence Fund for research and development and joint procurement. EU Member States also co-operate on security and defence through the European Peace Facility, which currently has a financial ceiling of €17 billion.
