Europe Defense Commissioner wants European preference for weapons
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas and Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius want to persuade countries like Germany to stop relying on the USA for strategically important armaments projects.
14.03.2025, 03:14
SDA
A draft for a new EU security and defense policy document states that the United States could possibly restrict or even prevent the use of key components for military operational capability. The only way to overcome dependencies is therefore to develop the necessary capabilities through joint European armaments projects.
Air defense and missile defense systems are cited as examples. The draft of the so-called White Paper on the future of European defense is available to the German Press Agency.
Ukraine as a warning example
The background to the Commissioners' initiative is obviously the recent experience of Ukraine, which was attacked by Russia. It had to experience how President Donald Trump's administration was able to restrict the use of US weapons systems from afar after Ukraine refused to comply with American demands regarding possible peace talks with Russia and a raw materials deal.
It is now feared that the USA could also remotely paralyze weapons systems supplied to NATO partners in the event of disagreements or conflicts. This applies in particular to high-tech products such as Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II fighter jets. Germany ordered 35 of these just three years ago.
In order to come closer to the goal of independence from the USA as quickly as possible, Kallas and Kubilius believe that a directive could stipulate that EU states should give preference to purchasing European military equipment. Important industrial players outside the EU often restrict access to their markets, according to the text. They are also trying to expand their own production capacity in critical technologies.
According to current plans, work on the new basic security and defense policy document should be completed in the coming week. The final version is then to be adopted by the College of EU Commissioners and then serve as a guideline for the heads of state and government of the EU member states. They will meet at a summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday next week.
