The EU wants to break its security dependency on the US and buy more
European weapons
[March 20, 2025]
By LORNE COOK
BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union on Wednesday announced a new drive to
break its security dependency on the United States, with a focus on
buying more defense equipment in Europe.
The EU's executive branch unveiled its “Readiness 2030” security
strategy with the threat of Russian aggression at the forefront of
concerns. NATO intelligence estimates suggest that Russia could be
capable of launching an attack in Europe again in three to five years.
Last month, the Trump administration signaled that U.S. security
priorities lay elsewhere — on its own borders and in Asia – and that
Europeans would have to fend for themselves and Ukraine in the future.
That was as Europe’s biggest land war in decades entered its fourth
year.
Under the strategy, member countries will be urged to buy much of their
military equipment in Europe, working mostly with European suppliers —
in some cases with EU help to cut prices and speed up orders. They
should only purchase equipment from abroad when costs, performance or
supply delays make it preferable.
In recent years, the 27 EU nations have placed about two-thirds of their
orders with U.S. defense companies. To qualify for new loans, they would
have to buy at least 65% of equipment from suppliers in the EU, Norway
or Ukraine.
“The security architecture that we relied on can no longer be taken for
granted,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
“We must buy more European. Because that means strengthening the
European defense, technological and industrial base. That means
stimulating innovation. And that means creating an EU-wide market for
defense equipment,” she added.
The strategy resembles the RepowerEU scheme that the commission proposed
in 2022 to wean the bloc off Russian natural gas after President
Vladimir Putin ordered his forces into Ukraine and used energy as a
weapon to try to undermine EU support for Kyiv.
That strategy saw the EU’s dependence on Russian gas imports fall from
45% in 2021 to 15% in 2023.
The new blueprint was unveiled on the eve of a summit of EU government
leaders. At emergency talks on March 6, they signed off on proposals to
ease budget restrictions and create a 150-billion-euro ($164 billion)
loan plan for defense projects.
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European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas speaks during a
media conference regarding the White Paper on the Future of European
Defense and the REARM Europe plan at EU headquarters in Brussels,
Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)
Defense firms in the U.S., U.K., and Turkey would be excluded from
the loan plan unless those governments sign security agreements with
the EU.
France has pushed the “buy European” approach, but countries like
Poland and the Netherlands want to buy U.S. equipment.
EU nations are also encouraged to boost security ties with NATO
allies that are not members of the EU, including Britain, Canada,
Norway, Australia, Japan, South Korea and India.
The strategy notes that while the United States remains a key
Western ally, it has been clear “that it believes it is
over-committed in Europe and needs to rebalance, reducing its
historical role as a primary security guarantor.”
Andrius Kubilius, the EU’s recently appointed and first-ever defense
commissioner, warned that “450 million European Union citizens
should not have to depend on 340 million Americans to defend
ourselves."
Spending priorities for joint purchase would be air and missile
defense systems, artillery, ammunition, drones, equipment for use in
cyber and electronic warfare, and “strategic enablers” like
air-to-air refueling and land border security installations.
To help Ukraine fend off the Russian invasion, the aim would be to
provide at least two million artillery rounds each year; supply more
air defense systems, missiles and drones; and continue to train tens
of thousands of Ukrainian troops annually.
More money would also be funneled into Ukraine’s defense industry.
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