Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called on his European partners on Monday to spend more on common defense and to proceed to the creation of a 100-billion-euros fund similar to the Recovery Fund.
the to enhance the defense of the European Union. Participating in the informal European Council taking place in Brussels he said that is happening at a time when “we have to address tectonic geopolitical changes.”
“I have spoken many times about the need for Europe to acquire more autonomy in terms of the management of issues concerning a common European defense,” the PM added in a statement upon his arrival at the meeting.
“In fact, today I had the opportunity to publish a relevant article in a major European newspaper, where I submit once again the Greek proposals on how we can spend more and better for our common defense,” added Mitsotakis.
He also noted: “Specifically, I want to underline once more the need for greater flexibility in the fiscal rules, in order to provide an incentive to the countries that spend more than 2 percent of their GDP on armaments that they should not be ‘punished’ in the context of the existing laws on spending ceilings.
I underlined that, apart from the need to have greater flexibility at a national level, it is also extremely necessary to form a common European fund for defense projects which are essentially European priorities.
In particular, I propose the creation of a fund of 100 billion euros, along the lines of the Recovery Fund, which could finance joint European actions, such as, for example, a European anti-missile shield,” the Greek PM underlined.
Mitsotakis also said that he believes that the time is now ripe to pass from words to actions:
“I do not expect specific conclusions today, but I believe that we will be given an opportunity to have a frank exchange of views, taking into account what is happening on the other side of the Atlantic. In any case, the time is ripe for Europe to assume its responsibilities, to ‘grow up’ geopolitically and to take the issues of European defense very seriously.”
Mitsotakis proposal comes just hours after US President Donald Trump reiterated that his plan to impose tariffs on EU arguing that the organization “treats the U.S. badly and does not buy American products.”
PS Are we heading from a Trade War to a real War with the US and need to boost the European defense?
Europe has just thrown away 100 billion on Ukraine + all the weapons that were given to Ukraine by European nations that will now need to be replaced.
Do we really need more of this waste? Do we really trust a Greek Leader telling us to spend more on Defense when its the most corrupt racket of spending public funds?
Don’t let these kleptocrats keep this racket going
True but a lot of that was surplus. War is a great way to get rid off old surplus. So new funds can be raised for new spending on hardware.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like the idea of possible war but Si vis pacem, para bellum.
You are right, though, that war is a racket and a big opportunity for racketeering.
But I don’t trust Russia nor America.
Not many people know this but the blueprint of an EU army with supporting civil and military resources and industries are laid down in art.40+ of the Lisbon Treaty. It is quite ambiguously worded but it is there in principle. France is already under pressure to put its nuclear arsenal to work as an European umbrella as a deterrent.
The problem is to get the Council of Ministers agreeing to that. And America knows very well how to divide Europe.
But the pressure is on and it is about time that Europe takes responsibility for its own security. That means developing further the European defense industries and to buy European, not American.