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Prime Minister Donald Tusk, together with the head of the Greek government Kyriakos Mitsotakis, sent a letter to the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen on Thursday, in which they called for the creation of an air defense shield – PAP has learned. Both leaders called for a discussion on this topic at the summit in June.
“Europe will be safe as long as the sky above it is safe,” Tusk and Mitsotakis wrote in the letter, which PAP has obtained. Therefore, as they argue, Europe needs a new flagship program for the European air defense shield. As part of it, the EU would build a comprehensive air defense system protecting the Union from “all incoming threats,” such as airplanes, missiles, and drones.
At the same time, both heads of government are awaiting rapid progress in working on the recently proposed EC initiatives: the strategy for the European defense industry and the program implementing it (which provides, among other things, for allocating 1.5 billion euros for defense projects from the Union’s budget). They are also awaiting a report being prepared by the EC on possible options for further funding of defense projects.
The letter states that the Russian aggression against Ukraine has shown that those who took peace in Europe for granted were mistaken. But not only the war in Ukraine. Tusk and Mitsotakis also pointed to the “tragic events” in the Middle East and other parts of the world, such as the Sahel or the Horn of Africa. “Geopolitical competition has intensified, and the fundamental principles of international law are being questioned by an alarmingly growing number of revisionist actors in the world. More than ever, it has become clear that the EU and its member states must do more and better in terms of security and defense,” they emphasized.
As they wrote in the letter to the EC President, the shield will strengthen the European deterrence capacity and the overall defense capabilities of the Community. The program, according to Tusk and Mitsotakis, will also encourage the European defense industry to develop the most modern technologies and become a world leader in this field. “It will be a catalyst that will allow Europe to further modernize its defense and security industry,” the document reads.
As they added, “Developing and financing such a joint European defense project at the European level will send a clear signal that Europe is united and determined to defend and protect itself.” According to the authors of the letter, the Union will be seen as a global force whose economic power will be strengthened by the military.
“Our economic and monetary union must be accompanied by a strong defense union,” the leaders argued.
Von der Leyen spoke about the need for a shield twice this week during debates before the European Parliament elections. The EC President, however, emphasizes that such projects will be financed either from national contributions or from the Union’s own resources (such as joint EU taxes). She herself is a supporter of the latter option. (23.05.2024)