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The strategic interest of the European Union is the integration of the Ukrainian military into a European Defense Union, which could also include countries outside the EU, according to European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius, UATV English reports.
Speaking at the roundtable discussion “A New Security Architecture for Europe: Ukraine as a Strategic Pillar of the Continent’s Defense Future” in Brussels, Kubilius said that the EU’s interest extends not only to Ukraine’s armed forces but also to its defense industry, which has gained unique wartime experience.
“If we have on the European continent the strongest European army—the second strongest military force in our region—this should clearly demonstrate that integrating Ukraine’s defense capabilities with European defense must be Europe’s most important strategic interest. Ukraine has the strongest army not only because it has the bravest soldiers and the smartest generals, but also because it has the most innovative defense industry. Europe therefore has a vital interest in integrating this innovative defense industry with the European defense sector,” he said.
Kubilius argued that, while Ukraine’s accession to NATO and the EU remains unresolved, Europe must find a way to incorporate Ukraine into a common defense framework. Otherwise, the EU risks facing the Russian military on its own.
“Ukraine’s NATO membership has not yet been agreed upon, and we do not know when it might happen. EU membership could also take more time. I would be delighted to see Ukraine become an EU member tomorrow, but we need to face reality. Europe must become much stronger now, not sometime in the future. If Putin launches aggression against EU or NATO countries today, we would face a battle-hardened Russian army capable of deploying millions of drones. No EU or NATO member state on the European continent has such experience. Only Ukraine does. That is why we need a European defense architecture that allows for Ukraine’s institutional integration now, not tomorrow,” the commissioner said.
He added that other countries could also join such a European Defense Union alongside Ukraine.
“In my view, Ukraine, as well as the United Kingdom, Norway, perhaps Turkey, and even Canada, could join EU member states in a European Defense Union. Such a union should be created voluntarily by those countries that want much closer defense cooperation and far greater unity in defense than exists today,” Kubilius concluded.
It is worth noting that Kubilius has previously stated that EU member states should allocate €70 billion for Ukraine’s defense in 2026.
Read also: Nordic-Baltic Eight Back Opening All EU Negotiation Clusters for Ukraine in June–July
