The European Court of Auditors claims that the €1.5B budget planned by the EU for the development of the defense industry, as well as two years of other spending, is insufficient in the face of the challenges associated with the Russian aggression.
“The instrument for supporting Ukraine, part of the proposal, does not have a fixed financial package. EU countries agreed to use the profits received from the investment of frozen assets of the Russian Federation to support Ukraine. However, given the unpredictability of the volume and timing of funding from this source, there is a risk,” the court’s conclusion states.
It is reported that the EU’s legislative proposal to strengthen defense industrial readiness needs a more robust design and balance of policy objectives, a proposed budget, and time frame.
At the same time, the Polish Ministry of Defense announced that in 2025 the country will allocate a record amount for defense – PLN 186.6B ($48B) or 4.7% of its GDP, which exceeds the obligations of NATO countries by 2%.