Brussels: The EU must urgently prepare for the possibility of a large-scale war with Russia, according to a strategy paper published by the European Commission on Wednesday.
The so-called White Paper suggests that if Russia achieves its goals in Ukraine, it may extend its territorial ambitions further, with 2030 named as a possible time frame. Europe must be ready for war if it wants to avoid it, the text says.
The new strategy is partly in response to declarations by US President Donald Trump, which indicate that the United States may no longer be unconditionally available as a guarantor for peace in Europe.
“The security architecture that we relied on can no longer be taken for granted,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said, emphasizing the need for increased defence spending and investments in European defence industrial capabilities.
The commission highlighted seven areas in which existing military capability gaps must be closed as a matter of priority. These include air defence and missile defence, drone systems and electronic warfare. The commission envisages that EU states should closely cooperate in purchasing and jointly order at least 40% of the required goods. (DPA)
