MADRID, 22 JAN High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said in an article for the newspaper El Pais that the conflict in Ukraine showed that the European defense industry was not prepared for the threats that could be thrown at it, and therefore called for its revival.
«We must arm Ukraine with the necessary means… This process must be accompanied by the revival of the European defense industry. The war in Ukraine has shown that it is far from ready for what lies ahead, since it is designed for peacetime,» Borrell wrote.
According to him, most of the supplies to Kyiv were taken from existing stocks, so the EU's production capacity should increase significantly. The head of European diplomacy noted that despite the fact that the union's defense spending has already increased by 40% compared to a historical low in 2014, the EU must “intensify efforts to win the race against time against Russia.”
In addition, Borrell is confident that the EU has often delayed supplies to Kyiv, so he called for a change in the union’s paradigm regarding this issue. He believes the EU should «do whatever it takes» to achieve victory, not «as long as it takes.»
Earlier, the Pais newspaper, citing a document from the European External Action Service, reported that the European Union had accumulated more than seven billion euros of debt to member countries that transferred weapons to Ukraine. As the newspaper notes, the amount of debt of 7.16 billion euros is indicated in the document in connection with the creation of a new Fund for Assistance to Ukraine. Delays in refunds to member states could hamper supplies through the system, a senior diplomatic source said.
Russia previously sent a note to NATO countries over arms supplies to Ukraine. The Russian Foreign Ministry noted that any cargo that contains weapons for Ukraine will become a legal target for Russia. The department emphasized that the United States and NATO are directly involved in the conflict in Ukraine, including not only by supplying weapons, but also by training personnel in the UK, Germany, Italy, and other countries.