Donald Trump “is right”: Europe must spend more on defense. The head of diplomacy of the 27 urged member states on Wednesday to considerably increase their investments, building on the arrival of the American president at the White House.
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This call for action is the latest in a series of warnings from European officials which have been increasing since Russia launched its tanks to attack Ukraine in February 2022.
“It’s time to invest!” Kaja Kallas said in a somber speech at a conference in Brussels.
For the Estonian official, Europe’s inability to dedicate sufficient resources to its military capabilities sends “a dangerous signal to the aggressor.”
“Last year, Member States as a whole spent on average 1.9% of their GDP on defense. Russia devotes 9% to it,” she insisted, saying she was convinced that the bloc could do more to help Ukraine in the face of the Russian invasion.
According to the head of European diplomacy, there is an urgent need for investment from Member States and the private sector, but also from the European budget.
“We spend billions on our schools, our health systems and our social protection. But if we don’t spend more on defense, all of this will be put at risk,” she warned.
-“Lift your head”
“If Europe wants to survive, it must arm itself,” echoed Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, from Strasbourg.
Speaking before the European Parliament, he urged member states to take seriously Donald Trump’s call to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP.
“We are at a time when Europe cannot afford to save on security,” he said, placing this subject at the heart of his presidency.
And to say, in reference to a famous phrase from former American President John F. Kennedy: “Don’t ask yourself what the United States can do for your security, ask yourself what we can do for our security. .”
Poland, which borders Ukraine, is one of the fiercest supporters of supporting kyiv in its war against Russia, launched almost three years ago.
Warsaw plans to devote 4.7% of its GDP to defense this year.
During his speech to the European Parliament, the Polish Prime Minister also spoke of the concerns raised by the return to power on Monday of Donald Trump in the United States.
“Lift your heads, Europeans!” he said.
“Europe was, is and always will be great,” he added, in a nod to Donald Trump’s slogan which has called for years to “make America great again.”
