EU chief calls for defence ‘surge’, says ‘time of illusions’ over– www.channelnewsasia.com
Source Link
Excerpt:
Stating that Russian President Vladimir Putin “cannot be trusted” but only “deterred”, von der Leyen noted that the Kremlin was spending more on its military “than all of Europe combined”.
“We all wish we could live in more peaceful times. But I am confident that, if we unleash our industrial power, we can restore deterrence against those who seek to do us harm,” she said.
“It is time to build a European Defence Union that ensures peace on our continent through unity and strength.”
The commission plan also allows member states to repurpose so-called “cohesion” funds intended for the development of poorer European countries and lifts curbs on defence investments by the bloc’s lending arm, the European Investment Bank.