European Commission shifts to military preparation mode

The European Commission is set to adopt a military preparation approach in response to emerging security challenges.

The announcement was made in Brussels by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a press conference marking 100 days since the start of the second composition of her administration, Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

In the coming weeks, the European Commission will hold its first-ever Defense Board meeting, introducing a new level of security oversight. Members of the Commission will receive regular updates on security developments as part of a broader strategy to enhance preparedness.

The approach will encompass not only foreign policy and law enforcement but also key sectors such as energy, research, trade, cybersecurity, and measures against foreign interference. This shift reflects an acknowledgment of the evolving security landscape and the need for coordinated action across multiple domains.

Von der Leyen underscored the EU's new push to spend some €800 billion on its defense industry, saying that the share of military kit sourced from Europe would have to increase "gradually." Currently, the EU is heavily dependent on U.S.-made weapons.

By Khagan Isayev