European Union Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius proposed a shift in the EU military support strategy for Ukraine:uropean Union Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius proposed a shift in the EU military support strategy for Ukraine, suggesting local procurement of weapons could significantly increase aid delivered without raising the budget.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Kubilius emphasized that this approach could effectively double the quantity of weapons Ukraine could receive, raising the real value of Western support to approximately £80 billion annually.
In a post on X, Kubilius stated that if peace negotiations led by former U.S. President Donald Trump fail to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin, the EU and its allies must be ready to offer "more convincing arguments" for peace through enhanced military assistance. He noted that the EU and the U.S. have been providing around £40 billion a year in military aid to Ukraine. However, procuring modern weapons inside Ukraine would cost about half as much as those made in the EU or US, effectively doubling the support.
Kubilius highlighted the role of new EU-backed SAFE loans, designed to enable Member States to boost their military contributions. He said, "These loans offer exactly the kind of financial mechanism needed to scale up military support to Ukraine." He further added that the concept of "Peace through strength" could be realized in practice through these loans, providing necessary strength for Ukraine.