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EU Unveils Ambitious Defense Strategy to Boost Self-Reliance

The plan includes a €1.5 billion fund to increase arms production and encourages EU members to prioritize European-made weapons.

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EU Arms Production Initiative U.S. Russia-Ukraine War
French President Emmanuel Macron speaks to French soldiers at the Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, near the city of Constanta, Romania, June 14, 2022 (pool photo by Yoan Valat via AP Images).

Overview

  • The EU announces plans to significantly boost its defense industry, aiming for more self-reliance and less dependence on US arms.
  • The strategy includes a €1.5 billion fund to increase arms production, with a long-term goal of competing with the US defense industry.
  • EU members are encouraged to spend at least 50% of their defense budgets on European-made weapons by 2030, rising to 60% by 2035.
  • The plan also seeks to strengthen ties with Ukraine, treating it as a 'quasi-member state' for defense procurement.
  • Concerns over potential US isolationism under a Trump presidency and the ongoing war in Ukraine are driving the EU's push for a stronger defense industry.