EU Defense Commissioner Calls for €70 Billion for Military Mobility

Europe needs to invest €70 billion (us75.8 billion) into strengthening the mobility of its troops and military equipment, European Union Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius told Euronews in an interview published on March 25.

The initial investment would go to updating rails, roads, sea corridors and airways to facilitate efficient mobility of soldiers and supplies across the Continent.

We need to develop that infrastructure according to nato planning. Then we need to see also the need to establish a very effective defense or protection of those strategically important infrastructure points, and in addition to that, we need to look into legal requirements.
—Andrius Kubilius

Mobilization: The EU has plans for 500 projects to help mobilize the military under short notice. These projects range from streamlining regulations to building infrastructure.

When the war comes, you need to have your industry developed on a high level in order to maintain, repair and produce new weapons. And you also need to have such an industry not far away from a possible conflict zone.
—Andrius Kubilius

The European Commission will soon present a proposal for member states to use unspent cohesion and transport funds to finance this mobility investment, Kubilius said.

We should look for all the possibilities … because the investment into the defense industry is also an investment in economic development. It’s the creation of new jobs. We can bring very needed added value, especially by incentivizing joint procurement, more European procurement, and more nato standards and interoperability.
—Andrius Kubilius

Militarizing Europe: Creating a European military union where the Continent could share and distribute military power and responsibilities used to be something prominent European figures could only dream about. However, the crisis the Continent is facing, particularly the peace negotiations over the Russia-Ukraine war led by the United States, has sent Europe into defense mode.

U.S. President Donald Trump is pressuring Europe to fend for itself, and the EU is responding. It sees the need now more than ever to not only rearm but prepare itself to use those arms in the face of conflict.

Learn more: Read “‘Europe Needs a Defense Union.’”