Representatives of the main political groups gave their support to strengthening defence (see other news) on Wednesday 28 February. MEPs also reiterated their support for the military aid provided by the EU and its Member States to Ukraine.
Kinga Gál (NI, Hungarian), from Viktor Orbán’s party, promised that strengthening European defence policy will be a priority for the Hungarian Presidency of the EU Council, which begins on 1 July.
“Who better than Europe to protect Europe?, asked Valérie Hayer (Renew Europe, French), claiming that it was “time to act”. She called for an end to unanimity in foreign policy, a European military academy and a genuine single defence market “to protect ourselves at last”.
For Manfred Weber (EPP, German), “we need to buy European and preserve jobs”. He also focused on financing, while the President of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Nadia Calviño, highlighted support for the security and defence industries. “We need to rethink the rules of taxonomy, which are an obstacle” to funding defence and military goods, he said. And to quote George Washington: “The best way to avoid war is to prepare for it”.
Pedro Marques (S&D, Portuguese) called for all instruments to be mobilised. “We need a real strategy, but we also need practical tools. Let’s get our claws out. Where are they when our interests are called into question?”, he added. He also said that long-term partnerships with Africa and Latin America were needed.
Terry Reintke (Greens/EFA, German) called for a serious approach to foreign and security policy, with concrete actions, recalling that only a united Europe is safe. “We couldn’t give Putin a better present than a fragmented Europe”, she warned.
Nicola Procaccini (ECR, Italian) advocated a European army. "If you compare it to national armies, yes, it’s expensive, but it’s worth it. If we can spend less overall, do more and do it better, that will be proof of what can be achieved with good centrist realism”, he explained. On the contrary, for Jean-Paul Garraud (ID, French), a European army would be a commitment to “a deadly escalation”. “To have a strong Europe, you need strong States. We need to strengthen our own armies, they need it so badly”, he added.
For Martin Schirdewan (The Left, German), the EU must focus on diplomacy and the peaceful resolution of conflicts. “We hear nothing but a call to arms that only benefits arms companies (...) An arms race will lead to a disaster”, he predicted. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)