European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Wednesday that the bloc plans to increase its military spending by $ 200 billion in the coming years, against the background of developments in the situation in Ukraine.
And von der Leyen, at a news conference on Wednesday, stressed that the outbreak of a new military conflict in Europe clearly shows the “lack of spending for years” in the field of defense in the European Union, added that the block was “suffocating”. He lost 10 years of investment in defense because of these cuts. ”
And he continued: “However, member states (and that’s good news) are currently reviewing this trend and announced that an additional 200 billion euros will be allocated for defense spending over the next few years.”
Our recommendations address Europe’s energy security, our defense and our support for Ukraine.
We must now reduce our reliance on Russia in energy as soon as possible.
we can.
https://t.co/SF640dlGl6– Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderlenen) 18 May 2022
The President of the European Commission stressed the importance of focusing on how these funds are used rather than on themselves, and urged to ensure that these funds are spent in a coherent way to close the “gaps” that are being experienced. of Europe. The area of defense, whether within the European Union or NATO.
Von der Leyen also noted the need to ensure that these expenditures will strengthen the base of the defense industry in Europe in the long run.
He added that the European Commission had called for the joint implementation of military procurement within the union and expressed its belief that this approach would be more financially and industrially efficient and improve coordination between member state forces.
He stressed that the European Union will set up a working group that will bring together member states to coordinate urgent needs in military supply and replenishment, in addition to a financial mechanism for the implementation of joint taking.
Von der Leyen said the European Union plans to create new rules to ensure that these combined military purchases are not included in the value added tax.
It comes amid Russia’s ongoing special military operation launched in Ukraine on February 24, and the West’s previously unconventional military and financial assistance to Kiev in this battle.
Source: RT
Source: Arabic RT
