The head of European Union diplomacy, Josep Borrell, stated that Europe needs to make a "leap forward" in defense and defense industry amid the geopolitical situation.
He noted that Europe is now entering a "Demosthenes moment" - an ancient orator who, in his speeches, called on Athenians not to be passive in the face of the threat from King Philip II of Macedonia. Demosthenes also urged the people to support those attacked by the Macedonians, produce weapons, and mobilize all of Greece.
Borrell explained that European countries "are finally becoming aware of the many security challenges in our dangerous environment."
"A lot has already been done in recent years, however I am very much aware that a lot more remains to be done to match the magnitude of the threats we are facing. We need a leap forward in European defense and European defense industry," added the head of EU diplomacy.
Background
The issue of developing the defense industry has become very relevant for Europe lately. In particular, this is due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the need to assist our country. In early January, European Commissioner for Internal Market Thierry Breton, in a strong show of unity, proposed creating a €100 billion fund to develop the European defense industry. Bloomberg reported that the EU aims to ensure that by 2025, half of its defense systems are procured within the bloc. Currently, most of the armaments are purchased from third countries.