Russian military threat “will not disappear”: MEP calls on EU to arm itself

This opinion regarding the key priorities for strengthening European security was expressed by MEP Nathalie Loiseau at a meeting of the European Parliament's Subcommittee on Security and Defense during an exchange of views with European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"The Russian threat will not disappear. It might even get stronger at the very moment when the so-called negotiations (on a peace settlement - ed.) start. So we would be guilty if in a few months’ time it goes back to ‘normal’ as before,” Loiseau said.

In her opinion, the new countries that have joined forces with Russia make the EU even more vulnerable. And these new circumstances must be taken into account in the White Paper on European Defense, which European Commissioner Kubilius promised to present.

“I think that this exercise of the White Book, which is absolutely necessary, should take it into account. (…) This White Book exercise is so important that I hope all parliaments will be able to have their own position on it. So that we can take it onboard before it is published,” she emphasized.

Just like Kubilius, Loiseau is convinced that Ukraine is the first priority in the matter of European security, while all EU countries should make their contributions to the defense of Europe, which should exceed 2% of GDP.

"I am not comfortable with the notion that NATO does the shopping and we pay the bill, NATO does the planning and we fill the gaps. First, EU member states have to do their part – reach 2% (to GDP of defense spending) and above 2% as soon as possible because 2% is much below what we were doing during the Cold War," MEP believes.

She is also skeptical about the proposal to build a European air defense shield, insisting instead on purchasing the necessary weapons for protection.

"It looks a bit like magical thinking. It looks as if we would like to have the Israeli Iron Dome on European soil. Let's not forget how costly it would be. It would simply drag every single euro we could raise and we don’t have yet for this project. (…) Instead, NATO believes that this system will probably not be efficient for at least 15 years. Now we need to focus on weapons to deter our adversaries from attacking us," she stressed.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the first-ever EU Commissioner for Defense and Space, Andrius Kubilius, will present a White Paper on European Defense, identifying key priorities for strengthening European security, within the first 100 days after confirmation in office.