European Industry Commissioner Thierry Breton announced efforts to accelerate the transition of European industry to “war economy” mode to support Ukraine.
The initiative is aimed at increasing the production of weapons for Ukraine by European companies, Agenzia Nova reported.
In a video message broadcast at the EU-US Defense Industry Forum, Breton said that integrating the European and Ukrainian defense industries must be a key goal when developing a new European defense industry strategy. He said that he and Josep Borrell had agreed.
“This meeting between industrial leaders from both countries is the first step in taking EU-Ukraine cooperation in the field of defense to the next level,” Breton said.
He added: “I am urging the European defense industry to go into war economy mode, producing faster and more with the aim of continuing to support Ukraine now and in the long term, no matter what happens.” “We are making it possible to do so,” he added.
Mr. Breton stressed the need to strengthen ammunition production capacity and the importance of Member States approving ammunition export contracts to Ukraine.
“We will certainly replicate the munitions approach in other areas to increase production capacity,” he said.
The European Commissioner made clear that these efforts are in line with the objectives of the new European Defense Industrial Strategy and associated programs aimed at strengthening Europe’s defense readiness.
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“This strategy aims not only to support the readiness of the European defense industry, but also to strengthen the relationship between the European and Ukrainian defense industries,” he said.
Mr. Breton added that the program sets clear priorities for further cooperation development.
These statements were echoed by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who spoke via video conference at the EU-Ukraine Defense Industry Forum in Brussels. He said “political rhetoric” alone would not deter Russia, but that “superior firepower” was needed.
“Russia’s current pace of militarization is the highest since Soviet times. Whether we realize it or not, like it or not, we are already in a new arms race,” Kuleba said. Stated.
The minister called on the EU to deter an “aggressive Russia” and affirmed Europe’s ability to defend itself.
In early March, the European Commission was scheduled to deliberate on a move to “war economy mode” to strengthen the EU’s arms production capacity. According to Reuters, the move is aimed at encouraging EU countries to jointly procure weapons domestically.
Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine has highlighted the EU’s shortcomings in military production and procurement, and as a result, Ukraine is currently lacking military supplies.
Brereton proposed creating a European agency comparable to the U.S. Foreign Military Sales Program that would help “eligible countries” buy from U.S. arms companies. He also proposed encouraging European arms companies to prioritize domestic orders in times of crisis.
In April, French President Emmanuel Macron spoke of the need for a sustained increase in arms production in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. He made these remarks while laying the cornerstone of a new gunpowder factory in Bergerac to address a critical shortage of propellant needed for shells bound for Ukraine.