By KYIV. Nov 14 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Defense ministers of 27 EU countries approved on Tuesday 22 priorities designed to eliminate gaps in the defense potential of EU states.
“The time has come to transform these priorities into concrete defense cooperation projects in order to provide the European armed forces with greater stability, maneuverability and reliability, readiness to confront current and future threats,” said Josep Borrell, head of EU diplomacy, who also heads the European Defense Agency (EDA).
The EDA press release notes that significant gaps have appeared as a result of constantly insufficient investment and insufficient European cooperation in the construction of defense capabilities. The priorities approved as of 2023 reflect the military realities observed in Ukraine, serve the EU’s defense goals and are intended for the implementation of specific projects.
The document says that the military actions in Ukraine, according to European military leaders, have shown the need for flexible, mobile, compatible, technologically advanced, energy efficient and sustainable full-spectrum ground forces. The context of Ukraine has revealed the importance of multi-level integrated air and missile defense, as well as changes in the perception of the balance between qualitative and quantitative dimensions in many areas of military potential.
According to the priorities approved on Tuesday, additional efforts are expected to be made to improve: means of conducting high-precision ground combat while increasing the range, accuracy and mobility of ground-based strike weapons; integrated air and missile defense with the modernization of existing and development of new generation air defense systems; submarine warfare capabilities; logistics and the creation of centers of professional military education and training capable of adapting to the changing environment and new areas of warfare.
In another document adopted on Tuesday, the EU Council recommended that the Union countries join efforts to reverse the trend of declining spending on defense research and technology, and focus on joint purchases of necessary weapons.
