Russia is capable of producing nearly four times as many weapons as all of Europe combined – Lithuanian Defense Minister
12 May 15:32
The European Union must accelerate investment in defense and security, as Russia is currently capable of producing nearly four times as many weapons as all EU countries combined. Lithuanian Minister of Defense and National Security Robertas Kaunas told reporters this ahead of a meeting of EU defense ministers, according to a Hromadske Radio correspondent in Brussels, as reported by "Komersant Ukrainian".
“Today, Russia is capable of producing nearly four times more weapons than all of Europe combined. So this is a huge threat to us. Lithuania and, in fact, the entire eastern flank of Europe are investing significant funds in defense needs, as we are aware of our security environment,” he said.
According to the minister, the European Union must focus on strengthening the eastern flank, developing air defense systems, supporting Ukraine, and developing its own defense industry.
“Without a defense industry, we will not be able to counter the threat we see from Russia. Together as Europe, as a united Europe, we must build a factory of peace. And peace through strength is, in fact, a sensible goal. Because I am convinced that a strong eastern flank is synonymous with a safe and secure Europe,” Kaunas emphasized.
Estonia called on the EU to strengthen support for Ukraine
Meanwhile, Estonia has called for increased support for Ukraine. Ukraine has already become part of the European defense architecture, but the EU must do everything necessary to ensure Kyiv receives support to defend against Russian aggression and do so as quickly as possible.
Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur expressed these views ahead of the EU Defense Council meeting. Additionally, the country’s defense minister reaffirmed Estonia’s support for Ukraine’s accession to the EU and NATO.
Pevkur praised the European Union’s decision to provide Ukraine with a €90 billion loan and noted that defense funding must be flexible so that Ukrainians can receive what they need quickly.
Emphasizing the continent’s overall defense readiness, the Estonian official noted the need to strengthen the EU’s confidence in its own capabilities.
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“Europe is strong. Over the past few years, European defense readiness has grown significantly. Defense spending is already rapidly approaching half a trillion euros. Germany is demonstrating leadership, while Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland are at over 5 percent or close to that. We clearly understand that with a population of 500 million and all the defense capabilities we possess, we are ready to defend Europe if necessary,” Pevkur noted
At the same time, he noted that Europe needs to develop the production of certain types of defense equipment currently provided by other allies.
Speaking about the roles of NATO and the EU in defending the continent, Pevkur expressed the view that when it comes to military planning and the execution of military plans, that is NATO’s task, whereas when we talk about the European Union, it is the EU that strengthens the defense efforts of member states. When it comes to any form of assistance and cooperation, there are various mechanisms available, and we can utilize them.
The Estonian minister emphasized that supporting Ukraine in the context of defense and integration remains a priority for the EU, as well as for security structures on the European continent.
EU on plans to boost defense investment
Earlier, European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius stated that the European Union intends to significantly increase investment in the defense industry in order to produce more weapons than Russia in the future.
According to him, current figures indicate that the EU lags significantly behind Russia in key segments of military production. Specifically, Russia produces about 1,100 cruise missiles annually, compared to 300 in the EU; 900 ballistic missiles, compared to none in the EU; and 4 million artillery rounds, compared to 2 million in the EU.
“If we truly want to deter Russia, we must exceed its production capabilities,” Kubilius emphasized.
He also highlighted systemic issues within the EU defense industry: a lack of long-term contracts, excessive bureaucracy, and the complexity of internal procedures between member states.
Separately, the European Commissioner warned that European countries will have to reduce their dependence on the U.S. in the area of strategic defense capabilities, particularly space reconnaissance, satellite communications, military cloud services, and air support.
In response, the European Commission is promoting large-scale initiatives, including defense readiness reform, new space programs, and the creation of a European Competitiveness Fund worth at least €131 billion.
Kubilius also presented the new AGILE program, which aims to accelerate funding for defense startups and small businesses by reducing decision-making times to four months. He separately emphasized that without an increase in the EU’s joint budget, there is a risk of the defense sector fragmenting along national lines rather than consolidating.
As a reminder, by 2025, all NATO member countries managed to increase their defense spending, reaching or even exceeding the 2% of GDP target, despite differences in expenditure levels.
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