The Defence Commissioner emphasized that member states cannot advocate for a stronger security framework while simultaneously reducing the EU budget, urging investments aligned with their defence goals.
European Union nations need to align their budgetary decisions with Europe’s defence objectives in the forthcoming negotiations, stated Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, during a conference on Thursday.
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«If peace is the goal, then preparedness for war is necessary,» Kubilius quoted an Ancient Roman saying to highlight that resilience and readiness serve as the strongest deterrents against aggression.
Kubilius noted that economizing on defence undermines future security, stressing the significant economic losses that result from tensions escalating into open hostilities.
«To prevent the outbreak of war, [member states] must raise the EU budget to 12-15 percent» of Europe’s gross domestic product, he explained.
Kubilius’s statements followed a recent proposal from the completed Cypriot presidency of the Council of the EU, which suggested reducing the Competitiveness Fund by 4 percent, a fund designed to enhance technological innovation and defence capacities.
Countries that contribute more than they receive, such as Germany and the Netherlands—known collectively as the «frugals»—have advocated for deeper budget reductions while pushing to reallocate funds toward emerging priorities like defence, at the cost of traditional budget sectors such as the common agricultural policy and cohesion policy.
According to the defence commissioner, boosting defence expenditure at the EU level yields clear advantages through joint procurement processes, which deliver substantially higher efficiency compared to individual national spending.
He drew a comparison with the United States, where the federal budget remained limited until expanding significantly during World War II, coinciding with the establishment of a modern welfare and security state.
«If member states seek to prevent war and reduce defence costs, they should increase both the EU’s budget and government expenditures at the EU level,» Kubilius concluded.