Borrell: Strengthening Ukraine's defense industrial base will be part of the EU's security commitments for Ukraine
Kyiv • UNN
The EU plans to strengthen Ukraine's defense industry and promote its cooperation with European industry as part of its future security commitments to Ukraine, including holding a Ukraine-EU Defense Industry Forum and opening an EU Defense Innovation Office in Kyiv.
Strengthening Ukraine's defense industry and helping it to work closely with European industry will be part of the EU's future security commitments to Ukraine. This was stated by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell in a new blog published on March 11, UNN reports.
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The EU chief of diplomacy emphasized that the bloc needs to strengthen cooperation with partners, "in particular with Ukraine and its strong and innovative defense industry base.
Strengthening the Ukrainian defence industrial base and helping it to cooperate closely with the European industry will be part of the EU’s future security commitments for Ukraine. To stimulate this cooperation, we will host an EU-Ukraine Defence Industry Forum this year and open an EU Defence Innovation Office in Kyiv
"f Member States agree - it has to be a unanimous decision upon a proposal by the High Representative, – we could use the windfall profits of Russian frozen assets to purchase arms for Ukraine and/or help strengthen its defence industry," the EU's top diplomat said.
He noted that the possibility of using these profits to support Ukraine's reconstruction was being considered. "However, currently, the main issue in Ukraine is not so much reconstruction, but rather avoiding further destruction. If Member States agree, it would make sense to use these resources to procure additional military support for Ukraine through the European Peace Facility. In the longer term, we could also use these funds to support the Ukrainian defence industrial base," Borrell emphasized.
According to him, also the EU should move from an emergency mode to a long-term vision to be able to replenish stockpiles and develop the defense capabilities "that we will need in the future in a more contested geopolitical environment, while continuing to provide adequate military support to Ukraine.
"To strengthen our defence in a tense geopolitical context, we urgently need to overcome the fragmentation of our defence industry through more joint procurement and more common projects," Borrell said in X.
"In the current geopolitical context, we have no other choice: we need to become "defence ready". I am confident that our Member States will show the political will and provide the necessary resources to make the bold leap forward that is needed to take control of our own destiny," he concluded.
