(ANSA-AFP) - COPENHAGEN, MAR 18 - Europe must build a
"credible" deterrence capability within five years as it faces
an aggressive Russia and the potential loss of US security
protections, EU chief Ursula von der Leyen said on Tuesday.
Governments in Europe are under pressure to step up on defence
as US President Donald Trump questions the central role the
United States has held in NATO since the wake of World War II
while making overtures towards Russia on Ukraine.
"By 2030, Europe must have a strong European defence posture," von der Leyen said in a speech to cadets at the Royal Danish Military Academy in Copenhagen.
"If Europe wants to avoid war, Europe
must get ready for war," the European Commission chief warned --
setting a target for the continent to "have re-armed and
developed the capabilities to have credible deterrence". Von der
Leyen's speech came a day before the commission presents a white
paper to flesh out proposals aimed at helping Europe rearm, as
part of a broader roadmap that she dubbed "Readiness 2030".
Bolstering Europe's defences is to top the agenda at a leaders'
summit later this week, after the EU endorsed a commission plan
aimed at mobilising up to 800 billion euros ($875 billion) in
investments. The plan -- which the white paper builds on --
proposes easing the bloc's fiscal rules to allow states to spend
much more on defence, a measure the commission says could
potentially unlock 650 billion euros over four years. It
proposes providing states with EU-backed loans of up to 150
billion euros. (ANSA-AFP).
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