Peskov spoke about the discussion on strengthening the defense component of the EU

Deputy Head of the Russian Presidential Administration — Presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov. File photoMOSCOW, June 17 In Europe, the discussion on strengthening the defense component of the EU has intensified, Moscow is carefully monitoring the situation, spokesman for the President of the Russian Federation Dmitry Peskov told reporters. «This still remains a different plane, although this requires our increased attention, because we all know about the intensification in Europe, discussions on strengthening the defense component of the European Union, the military, defense and security components, so various transformations are taking place there,» Peskov said. The European Commission on Friday recommends granting the status EU candidate for Ukraine and Moldova, Bloomberg reports, citing informed sources. According to the agency, the EC will put forward conditions in the field of justice and the fight against corruption, which candidate countries will have to fulfill in order to fully join the EU. EC invites EU countries to invest 500 million euros in defense procurement