EU’s top defense is concerned about state of the bloc’s armed forces

(MENAFN) The European Union’s top defense official has raised concerns over the state of the bloc’s armed forces, revealing that they currently operate at only half the capacity required to meet NATO’s targets. The official emphasized the need for the EU to cut back on its reliance on American defense manufacturers in order to reduce expenses and bolster its own defense industry.

This warning follows recent claims by U.S. President Donald Trump, who stated that the EU had agreed to buy a “vast amount” of U.S. military equipment as part of a newly negotiated trade agreement. In contrast, European Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius stressed the importance of investing more in European-made arms.

In an interview published Tuesday, Kubilius stated that EU military capabilities are “at 50% of what we need to have now, according to NATO’s targets.” He pointed out that while dependence on American weapons has declined over the past year, approximately 40% of EU military spending still goes toward U.S.-made products, down from 60%.

“Diminishing that number by 10% or 20% means a huge amount of money will stay in the European industry,” he explained. “If member states pursue joint procurement, which means larger contracts, the average production price goes down to 70%.”

Just days earlier, Trump had promoted a U.S.-EU trade arrangement that he claimed would result in the European bloc purchasing “hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of military equipment,” along with $750 billion in American energy and $600 billion in investment, all without facing reciprocal tariffs.

A White House adviser referred to the agreement as a strategic win, stating the EU had “bent at the knee” in negotiations. However, the deal has sparked criticism across Europe, with detractors labeling it a one-sided “submission” and describing it as a “moral fiasco.”

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