In the current geopolitical situation - Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, complicated transatlantic relations - MEPs on Tuesday 10 February stressed the importance of strengthening European defence.
Like Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius, MEPs called for the defence industry’s development. “We need to equip ourselves with the means to act alone, if and when necessary. We need to establish common security and defence. When the crisis hits, solidarity must not be a pious hope, but a reality”, warned Yannis Maniatis (S&D, Greek). “The NATO secretary general has said it is unrealistic for Europe to defend itself entirely on its own. On the contrary, it is only natural that we should continue to do so, by increasing spending”, he added (see EUROPE 13794/18).
According to Jordan Bardella (PfE, French), the emergency is “in our ability to produce what ensures and will ensure our security in the future. We need to establish a genuine European preference for defence, because a nation that does not control its weapons will sooner or later depend on those who manufacture them”.
“We need to draw on the capabilities of civilian industry; defence is not just about military production, but an entire industrial ecosystem that needs to be involved”, explained Reinis Pozņaks (ECR, Latvian). Adding that: “Not all critical materials can be identified and supplied from Europe, so we need our strategic partners to mitigate risks in supply chains, industry and security”.
The European commissioner reiterated that Europe’s defence industry needs to increase its potential and production capacity. “This is the objective of our defence preparations: more production power, more innovation, a stronger deterrent”, he summarised, pointing out that strengthening defence will also benefit Europe’s competitiveness, if Europeans act as one.
Beyond industry, several MEPs emphasised the importance of human resources. “We can have a European headquarters, a European chain of command and control, an integrated military chain, and we will be able to take our own decisions”, said Nicolás Pascual de la Parte (EPP, Spanish).
According to Mārtiņš Staķis (Greens/EFA, Latvian), Europeans need “a defence that (allows them) to be autonomous”. “We must start by establishing a rapid reaction force of 100,000 troops fully aligned with NATO; not because we want to go it alone, but because we must be ready” to replace, if necessary, the 80,000 American troops deployed in Europe, he added (see EUROPE 13802/6).
Jordan Bardella, for his part, opposed a European army. The recognition of weakness “cannot serve as a pretext for creating a European army. An army is the expression of national sovereignty”, he declared. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)