The speed, cost-effectiveness and smartness of Ukraine’s defense production are impressive, but the country’s defense industry is only operating at 60% of capacity, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
She made this statement on Wednesday, July 9, during her speech at the European Parliament plenary debate on the conclusions of the June 26 European Council meeting, a Ukrinform correspondent reports.
“The speed, cost-effectiveness and smartness of their production is impressive. But its defense industry is only operating at 60% of capacity. Now our Member States can take their SAFE loans and procure directly from Ukraine’s defense industry. For our Member Sates it is top-notch quality, fast and cheap. For Ukraine, it is both crucial revenues. But also an opportunity to strengthen its defense industrial base,” von der Leyen stated.
She also stressed the urgent need for Europe to rearm, noting that Russia is rearming quickly.
“Just one week ago, Russia launched its largest and deadliest series of strikes on Ukraine since the beginning of the war. Over 500 missiles and drones in just a few hours. The war still rages on. The threat from Russia remains. This is the reality we must always keep in mind when we discuss defense. We cannot rely on others to protect Europe. The defense of Europe is our responsibility,” Von der Leyen stressed.
Von der Leyen told MEPs that under the EUR 150 billion SAFE initiative, 10 EU countries have already expressed intentions to borrow funds for joint weapons procurement, and she expects more countries to join.
She also pointed to growing awareness of the urgency around EU defense readiness, referencing the recent release of the Readiness 2030 White Paper, and the ReArm Europe Plan, which outlines tools needed to increase defense investment to EUR 800 billion by 2030.
The European Council has tasked the Commission with developing a Roadmap for Readiness by October, to identify gaps in member states’ defense production capabilities.
“So our defense industry must be enabled to consolidate, scale up and speed up,” the European Commission President stressed.
Earlier, European Council President António Costa stated that without reliable defense capabilities, peace will remain an illusion, and the EU must assume greater responsibility for the security of its citizens. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he added, has served as Europe’s wake-up call.
Source: Von der Leyen: Ukraine’s defense industry impressive but operating at only 60% capacity
