BRUSSELS, Belgium
European Union leaders held their first-ever defense meeting on Monday, focusing on strengthening military capabilities, hiking defense financing and reinforcing strategic partnerships.
European Council President
Antonio Costa emphasized the need to address critical defense gaps,
particularly in air and missile defense, ammunition production and military
mobility, in coordination with NATO.
Speaking at a press
conference, he underscored the urgency of strengthening the European defense
industry to accelerate military equipment production.
According to Costa, defense
spending among 23 EU members has increased by 30 percent between 2021 and 2024
with an average of 2 percent of GDP allocated to defense.
The European Investment Bank
has expanded its support for defense financing, while discussions on additional
funding, particularly for the next EU budget cycle starting in 2028, are
ongoing.
NATO Secretary General Mark
Rutte and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also joined the meeting.
The ongoing Ukraine conflict
remained a central topic, with EU leaders reaffirming their commitment to
supporting Ukraine for "as long as necessary and whatever it takes."
Costa stressed that the EU is
no longer debating whether to strengthen its defense but rather how to
implement it, highlighting the urgency of building a more capable, independent
European security framework.
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