Strasbourg: European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, on Tuesday, stressed the need for the European Union (EU) to significantly increase its military spending. During her presentation of the results of the recent EU defense summit to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, von der Leyen articulated the urgency for Europe to enhance its defense capabilities. She emphasized that the time has come to establish a common defense, highlighting the consensus among EU member states on this critical issue. Von der Leyen noted that Europe must assume greater responsibility in securing its collective defense.
According to Qatar News Agency, the European Commission had previously introduced a plan to rearm Europe, aiming to mobilize around EUR 800 billion over four years. This includes approximately EUR 150 billion in loans to be provided to the 27 member states. EU leaders approved the implementation of this plan during their meeting in Brussels last Friday, with the Commission now tasked with presenting concrete proposals ahead of the European summit next week.