Russia-Ukraine war: EU defense chief says bloc cannot only rely on US as shield

The European Union’s defense agency head says the bloc must make joint purchases of arms to replenish its stocks. The agency chief also reiterated that the EU could not only rely on the United States as a shield.

Speaking to Reuters, the EU’s European Defense Agency chief executive Jiri Sedivy said Russia’s invasion of Ukraine highlighted the areas that need improvement in the EU’s defense capabilities. The EDA was already in talks with European arms companies on boosting production, according to Sedivy, as well as with countries about coordinating to buy equipment and ammunition.

“What is important is that we would be able, the European Union, to become a credible provider of security in protecting citizens,” said Sedivy, adding that EU countries must heed calls by Washington to invest in defense.

“The United States will be inevitably engaged in Asia Pacific and not be able to provide some of the essential enablers such as strategic airlift, reconnaissance aircraft, precision-guided missiles, and air defenses,” said Sedivy, also citing the threats of terrorism and conflicts in the Middle East and northern Africa.

Europe’s defense spending rose by six percent in 2021 as defense spending went up to 200 billion euros, marking the strongest spending since the EU started increasing expenditure in 2015 following the annexation by Russia of the Crimean peninsula. A 2020 report by the European Parliament also exposed the weaknesses of the EU without US support. The report found that the region would struggle to defend itself, lack in intelligence, reconnaissance aircraft and long-range missile defense, and amphibious ships and submarines.

On Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the world still heard his call for peace despite the decision by FIFA not to broadcast his video message ahead of the World Cup final in Qatar. Zelenskyy asked for his message to be broadcast, including his call to hold a global peace conference to resolve the war started by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February.

Zelenskyy said the Ukrainian players and other officials have publicized his message, during his nightly video address. Zelenskyy noted that the World Cup was the essence of striving to win.