Brussels seeks to buy weapons for the whole EU

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The European Commission seeks to create a collective purchase of weapons for the whole block, which is a significant transfer of power to Brussels.

Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the EU executive power, said on Tuesday that the block will establish a “European sales mechanism” – a strategic reserve of European weapons that the capital can purchase to complete its own reserves.

The initiative is part of the Continent CD and aims to provide additional orders for weapons manufacturers who fought for scaling production, despite Russia’s war in Ukraine. France and Germany also announced more investment in their internal weapons.

“We have to buy more European (weapons),” said von der Leyen in Copenhagen. “This means creating a common market for defense technology.”

US President Donald Trump’s threats to revoke NATO’s protection and his bilateral peace talks with Moscow combined European capitals and offered to increase the internal defense opportunities.

Tuesday German Parliament approved plans Introduction of up to 1 tN into the military and infrastructure of the country-into a landmark decision led by the country’s chancellor of Frederick Merz.

Economists have estimated that the German armed forces demand more than 400 billion euros in the coming years, financing, which will probably be resolved by a mall reform, which will also weaken the country’s strict rules.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday announced additional military expenses, including more public orders for Rafale fighter jets and an investment of EUR 1.5 billion in the air base, which will be part of the nuclear containment by 2035, when new versions of the aircraft are posted.

Von der Leen They said that EU countries “should be able to rely on European defense networks, especially in urgent needs.

Giving Brussels such powers, which will mark a significant transfer of competencies from national capitals, which have previously insisted on having the last word on national security. The proposal by von der Leen would have to receive the support of most member states to bear fruit, officials said.

But EU leaders have already mentioned support for joint procurement at the summit earlier this month, said a senior official. The purchase of weapons together would allow the European armed forces to scale “agreed, standardized, interacting,” the official added.

“Our industrial base still has structural weaknesses.” We must turn the tide.

The comments come on the day before the exit of the defense strategy created commission This should propose a commission to act as a centralized buyer of military equipment.

The Collective purchase proposal goes along with the raft of new financial ideas from von der Leen, aimed at encouraging EU countries to increase defense costs.

It offered a new fund of 150 billion euros for capital to invest in its armies, applying the EU budget deficit when applying for military costs, and redirecting existing financing flows from EU budget -related projects.

Additional Report Ann-Cilwein Chasoni in Berlin and Jan Johnston in Paris