The European Union should create its own security organization in addition to NATO, said Roberta Metsola, President of the European Parliament.
“The European Union should always be stronger, more coherent and more effective. I say the same when it comes to creating, for example, a real security and defense union. A union that we have long demanded, that would complement NATO and would not compete with the alliance,” she said in an interview with El Mundo newspaper.
She added that Europe is on the verge of an extremely unstable situation because of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Metsola said the EU should be prepared for anything, regardless of the US presidential election.
“In January there will be a new president and therefore a new administration. There will also be a new Senate and a new Congress, which are our colleagues when it comes to voting on financial aid to Ukraine. I hope we can continue to work together,” she said.
In mid-July, European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen, who was re-elected for a second term, said she intends to prioritize security and protecting the EU from external threats.
“Over the next five years, our work will focus on building a true European defense union,” she said. She said member states will determine their own national military doctrines and decide on the deployment of their contingents, but Europe “can do much to support and coordinate efforts to strengthen the defense industrial base, innovation and the single market.”
Von der Leyen drew attention to the fact that the past few years have revealed “chronic underinvestment and inefficient spending on military capability development” in the EU. She noted that the association's total defense spending from 2019 to 2021 increased by only 20%, while China increased this figure by 600% and Russia by 300%.
As such, she promised to create the position of European defense commissioner and a European defense fund that would invest in maritime, land, air, space and cybersecurity.
Reprinted from https://news.am/
Comments