Ursula von der Leyen's €800 billion defense boost plan comes as the US is reassessing its role in European security. Can the EU become an independent military power?
As part of the European Sky Shield initiative, 15 countries, including Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, will jointly purchase the most modern air defense systems. The initiative came from Germany
And the main goal of the "Rearming Europe" plan is for countries to first gain access to funds in order to improve their own defense. Giuseppe Spatafora, a researcher at the EU's Institute for Security Studies, believes Ursula von der Leyen's plan can win unanimous support, even if not immediately at the summit. The stakes, he suggests, have become high. Spatafora just published a study on what it would look like if the US turned its back on the EU. He assesses that the fact that the package contains a number of options — additional borrowing, spending on joint purchases, redirection of money from cohesion funds for military purposes — "represents a way to get maximum consent." He also believes that the relatively rare mention of Ukraine in the plan was intended "to avoid the veto of individual members". Still, Spatafora believes that even with countries that are not comfortable with the EU taking a bigger role in areas that are usually the responsibility of national governments or NATO, "you have to start with the money." "The role of the EU will be welcome if it provides additional resources, primarily money," he says. Upheaval in Sweden Until now, Sweden has been among the countries that have been reluctant to accept a greater EU role — and joint funding — in defense. Kale Hakansson, a researcher at the Swedish Defense Research Agency, said there had been a "change in tone and urgency" in recent days, following the deterioration of relations between President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday February 28 and the subsequent suspension of US aid to Ukraine. Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristerson has now informed his parliament that he fully supports the Rearmament of Europe package, after other countries that previously had reservations, such as Finland, Denmark and Germany, changed their positions. "Sweden didn't want to be last," Hakansson said. "This package has been in the works for some time, but I think the ambitions have probably increased in the past few weeks." There is a real sense of urgency and a real fear that Europe could be left alone." Germany and a thousand billion new debt Speaking of a shift in attitudes, just hours after von der Leyen presented her package of proposals, the likely future partners in Germany's new government, the Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD), announced that as soon as they take power, they intend to lift the borrowing limit to allow for more defense spending. Presumptive future chancellor Friedrich Mertz (CDU) is promising an additional 500 billion euros for defense, along with another 500 billion euros for infrastructure. Jeremy Cliff of the European Council on Foreign Relations think tank said the changes in Germany are "astounding", as is the "sheer fiscal power" these changes will unleash. Turning a new leaf, starting a new book Leaving a meeting in London organized by Great Britain on Sunday, Ursula von der Leyen said she wanted to provide so much aid to Ukraine that it would become a "steel, prickly pig" capable of withstanding external attacks. If the EU countries make maximum use of the new instruments offered to them to improve their own capacities, the Union itself, he says, will gain an important layer of self-defense. "Is it enough for the future?" Probably not. But as a first step, I think it's actually quite impressive," said a senior EU diplomat who also wished to remain anonymous. An EU official was even more decisive about the importance of the "Rearm Europe" plan: "This is turning over a new leaf. I think we are starting a new book now, and it is called: 'Defense Europe'."', 'pageDate': '2025-03-06 13:17:59', 'pageAuthor': authors, 'visitorType': visitor_type, }); console.log(post_id); console.log('Pushed'); });REGARDING YESTERDAY'S TRUMP – ZELENSKY MEETING pic.twitter.com/T9C4aHdXDh
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