Strengthening Europe's defence capabilities through clear tasks and objectives: To secure additional funding, the EU must first define its security priorities

Peter Becker and Ronja Kempin

No 38/2025, SWP Comments from Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), German Institute for International and Security Affairs

Abstract: The member states of the European Union are once again arguing about money. More specifically, they are arguing about how much they want to spend on defence, where this money should come from and whether they should spend it jointly. That Europe needs to defend itself better is not in dispute in Brussels or the national capitals. However, despite many discussions, summit decisions, documents and initiatives, it is still unclear what goals the EU should pursue or how it should spend money to improve European defence capabilities. In addition to fresh funding, what is needed above all is agreement on shared European objectives. This would enable the continuation and strengthening of military support for Ukraine, the creation of a single market for armaments and services and the financing of these from the EU budget.

Keywords: European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP); Europe's defence capabilities; military support for Ukraine; single market for armaments; US President Donald Trump; NATO; US Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:swpcom:329906

DOI: 10.18449/2025C38

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