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EU Defence Spending Increase to Counter Russia
Andrius Kubilius, incoming EU defence commissioner, emphasizes the need for increased European defence spending to counter Russia, not Trump.
German
United States
PoliticsRussiaRussia Ukraine WarEuropean UnionNatoDefense
European UnionNatoEu Commission
Andrius KubiliusVladimir PutinDonald TrumpUrsula Von Der Leyen
- What is the current status of Kubilius's appointment and the broader commission?
- Kubilius's hearing was successful, and he received approval for his position, although the entire von der Leyen Commission still awaits parliamentary confirmation in late November.
- What is the main reason for the proposed increase in European defence spending, according to Kubilius?
- Andrius Kubilius, the incoming EU Commissioner for Defence and Space, stressed the need for increased European defence spending, citing Vladimir Putin as the primary threat, not Donald Trump.
- How much investment in European defence does Kubilius propose, and what are the investments allocated for?
- Kubilius proposed a 10 billion euro investment by 2028, along with a further 200 billion for infrastructure upgrades and 500 billion for an EU air defence shield to counter potential Russian aggression.
- How many NATO members are not meeting their defence spending obligations, and what is the main reasoning behind the proposed increase in spending?
- While acknowledging that seven NATO members do not meet the 2% GDP defence spending target, Kubilius emphasized the need for this spending increase to deter further military actions from Russia, not to fulfill any demands by the US.
- How much does the EU Commission estimate is needed annually for defence and space competitiveness, and what is the potential additional funding available?
- The EU Commission estimates an annual 50 billion euro requirement for defence and space competitiveness, with a potential increase to 60 billion if all members met the 2% target. However, Kubilius stated this may still be insufficient.