Quotes
Our position, shared with Denmark and Sweden, was that the more Russia has the advantage today, the more we have to hurry. We finally accepted, as the European Council, this commitment that by 2030 Europe must obtain full defence capabilities,
Tusk said
It is key that Europe be really capable to defend itself and deter Putin,
Tusk said.jpg)
We have a shield, they don't,
Macron told the Le Parisien on March 1, referring to France's European partners
We are working on having this defence and security partnership with the UK,
she told a press conference in Brussels
I'm very pleased that the EU is signalling their intent to spend so much on defence,
he said on a visit to Barrow-in-Furness, the Cumbria port where the UK's nuclear submarines are based
I have a very strong feeling that the Polish and UK thinking about defence is very similar.”
Polish Finance Minister Andrzej Domański told the Financial Times
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Obviously EU taxpayers’ money cannot go simply into British companies. But we can do it like in the research programme Horizon; the UK can become part of the investment and would pay its fair share in these programmes.”
Miguel Berger, the German ambassador to the UK, told Times RadioWe came into government promising to reset relations with the European Union. This may be an opportunity for Britain.”
He explainedThe era of the peace dividend is long gone. The security architecture that we relied on can no longer be taken for granted,
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said
As the events of last month make alarmingly clear, Europeans are now operating in more hostile and unpredictable geopolitical environment,
he wrote in a commentary on the council's websiteWow, Japan and South Korea can participate, US and UK cannot,
Joel Atkinson, a lecturer at Monash University in Australia who is now based in Seoul, South Korea, said on X, referring to the new EU defense strategyThose who buy Patriot should be offered the new-generation Franco-Italian SAMP/T. Those who buy the F-35 should be offered the Rafale. That's the way to increase the rate of production,
he told French media on SundayThe question of how they now defend themselves is more pressing than ever. Some aspects of this challenge can only be resolved over the long term. Enhancing the competitiveness and productivity of the European defense industry is one such aspect,
he wroteWe have not discussed it yet, we alluded to it."
Asked whether he saw a role for the ECB to finance defence spending through bond purchases, Holzmann told an event in LondonWe have to rearm ourselves, because otherwise we will be the next victim of Russian aggression,
said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda
It is important to take into account that the challenges that we face in the southern neighbourhood are a bit different to the ones that the eastern flank face,
said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.jpg)
The Netherlands does have a few boundaries and they are very logical boundaries we have always had,
Schoof told reporters in BrusselsI'd say joint bonds are not off the table but for that conversation we need a new government in Germany,
one EU diplomat saidWe are open for more discussions how we can find even more finances,
she said as leaders gathered for a summit in BrusselsEurope needs Britain's defence industry a bit more than the French need a few extra fish.
A senior Government source told The Times