In a few weeks, the EU should present a plan for the defense industry, the head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said at the Munich Security Conference. The new strategy will focus on four key points.
The first three relate to an increase in defense spending, their more efficient use through joint procurement and the scale-up of production, and increasing defense investments within the EU.
The fourth point concerns the lessons of the war in Ukraine.
“Ukrainians approach war very intelligently, for example, they take our outdated weapons systems and modernize them with the help of artificial intelligence. It is also interesting to watch the development of drone production. That is why we are integrating Ukraine into our defense programs and, together with Ukraine, are opening a defense innovation office in Kyiv”, she added.
The European Commissioner for Finance, Johannes Hahn, believes that starting in 2025 the EU will be able to produce up to two million artillery shells for Ukraine annually.