Kubilius urges EU countries to preserve defence funding in next budget
The Council’s Irish presidency has proposed reducing the European Commission’s €2 trillion budget plan by around 8 per cent.
European Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has warned that reducing EU defence funding could slow military expansion and limit the development of defence systems and space infrastructure. He urged member countries to back the proposed allocations ahead of leaders’ discussions on the bloc’s 2028 to 2034 budget.
The European Commission’s proposal totals €2 trillion. The Irish presidency of the Council of the European Union has proposed a reduction of around 8 per cent to accommodate a group led by Germany that is seeking substantial cuts. Competitiveness, defence and foreign aid would bear most of those reductions.
Kubilius argued that EU funding encourages countries to buy equipment together and collaborate on European defence development. He said spending remained too focused on national priorities and the industry was still too fragmented. Less funding for incentives would hamper efforts to address that fragmentation, he warned.
National delegations have also weakened a commitment to reach a budget agreement before year-end.
