Overview
- Meeting in Brussels, the European Council endorsed the defense readiness roadmap and directed states to finalize capability coalitions by the end of 2025 and start projects in the first half of 2026.
- Leaders prioritized counter‑drone and air defenses after recent airspace violations, with the Drone Defense Initiative and Eastern Flank Watch slated to achieve initial capacity by late 2026.
- The European Air Shield and European Space Shield are scheduled to begin workstreams in the second quarter of 2026, aiming for integrated protection compatible with NATO command and control.
- The plan requires at least 40% of defense purchases to be made jointly by late 2027, backed by a proposed €131 billion defense‑and‑space budget and support from the EDA, SAFE and EDIP instruments.
- The roadmap ties EU capability-building to security guarantees for Ukraine and deeper integration of Ukrainian innovation and production with the European defense industry.