GANTE, 24 Feb. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The economic vice president of the European Commission, Valdis Dombrovskis, acknowledged this Saturday that “it is clear” that the European Union will have to pay more attention to the capabilities of the defense industry, for which he has requested “more spending at the national level” when two years have passed since Russia attacked Ukraine
“We have to work together on it and do more at the national and European level,” said the Latvian politician in statements to the media upon his arrival at the informal meeting of EU Economy Ministers (Ecofin), which is being held this Saturday. in Ghent (Belgium) within the framework of the Belgian presidency of the Council.
Dombrovskis recalled that this February 24 marks two years since Russia began its brutal aggression against Ukraine, which is why he has appealed for the EU to continue doing “everything necessary” to support Kiev, while insisting on the urgency to work on the ammunition supply.
Asked about the instruments that the Commission can propose to boost European defense spending, the vice president pointed out that the discussions are “taking place” and has not ruled out the possibility of resorting to joint loans, with which mechanisms such as the recovery plan – the ‘NextGenerationEU’ funds -.
In this sense, the European Commissioner for Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, who already supported financing the defense of the EU through a debt issuance system, has once again defended this Saturday that common objectives have common financing.
“Experience has shown that this is the right path, not only for the ‘NextGeneration’, but also for the mechanism to reduce the risks of unemployment (SURE) and aid to Ukraine,” explained the Italian commissioner, who admitted that he sees “no reason not to continue with common financing for common objectives”.
The finance ministers of Finland and Lithuania, Riikka Purra and Gintaré Skaisté, have also advocated maintaining the EU’s “unanimous” support for Ukraine in the face of “war fatigue” and promoting a “credible” defense industry among the Twenty-Seven. in addition to increasing the shipment of weapons and ammunition to kyiv. “There is no safe Europe without a safe Ukraine, let us guarantee that it has the means to defend itself,” the Lithuanian minister stressed.
