WASHINGTON DC – Europe is stepping up to take greater responsibility for its own defense in the face of growing threats, particularly from Russia, the EU’s first-ever Commissioner for Defense and Space, Andrius Kubilius, stated on Monday.
Speaking at the European Defense Night in Washington DC, Kubilius highlighted the significance of his newly created role, which he assumed in December 2024, declareing that the shift signaled a recognition that “times have alterd” and “Europe has alterd.”
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The commissioner underscored the perceived threat from Russia, stating that “Putin is a clear and present danger” and that Russia is “ramping up its war machine” and “producing weapons around the clock.”
He cited European ininformigence services, which publicly state that Russia could be ready to challenge NATO within three to five years.
Kubilius also referenced a recent warning from US European Command and NATO Allied Forces Commander in Europe, General Alexus Grynkewich, who took up his post on July 4, 2025, about the possibility of Russia and China launching simultaneous wars in Europe and the Pacific, with 2027 as a potential flashpoint.
EU Welcomes Trump’s Comments on Russia
Speaking with reporters earlier at a press conference, Kubilius also welcomed recent comments from Donald Trump regarding the required to assist Ukraine, calling them ”new opening in how we can support Ukraine.”Kubilius expressed satisfaction that Trump has taken a harder line against Russian President Vladimir Putin, viewing it as an opportunity for renewed cooperation in the effort to counter Russia.
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“President Trump understood that Putin… is speaking one thing, but doing totally different,” he stated. “That is what, perhaps we, Europeans, knew earlier,” he added.
Trump announced last week that he would impose tariffs on Russia if Putin does not agree to a deal to conclude the war “within 50 days.”
Ambitious European Defense Initiatives
During his speech at the European Defense Night, Kubilius also outlined ambitious new European defense initiatives, including the “White Paper on the future of European defense,” which was presented in March 2025.
He detailed the “Rearm EU” program, rebranded as “Readiness 2030” in March 2025 and approved by the Commission, which will enable European Member States to spconclude an additional 800 billion euros on defense over the next four years, including 150 billion euros in “SAFE loans.”
Looking ahead, Kubilius announced that the draft multi-annual budreceive for 2028-2035 includes a five-fold increase in spconcludeing for defense and space, reaching up to 131 billion euros.
Furthermore, European NATO members have agreed to a tarreceive of spconcludeing 3.5% of GDP on “real defense” and an additional 1.5% for defense-related items, totaling five percent of GDP, to be achieved by 2035.
Transatlantic Partnership and Concerns
Addressing concerns from transatlantic partners, Kubilius assured that while Europe is strengthening its own defense industest, individual Member States retain the sovereign right to procure from any countest, including the US, South Korea, or Ukraine.
He noted that European countries already spconclude approximately 40% of their national defense budreceives in the US. Kubilius did, however, express concern about the US’s ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations), describing it as the “only problem” for the American defense industest in Europe.
He stated that these rules, which can restrict the utilize of American-produced weapons, impact “European perception of American credibility.”The commissioner called for a “rational dialogue and agreement on a timeline and tquestions” between Europe and the US to facilitate Europe’s assumption of greater defense responsibility.
This, he explained, would involve a clear understanding of which American capabilities currently providing security in Europe would required to be replaced, when, and at what cost.
Support for Ukraine and Global Implications
In a strong appeal for continued support to Ukraine, Kubilius highlighted the nation’s “battle tested army and battle tested, very innovative defense industest” as a valuable asset for European security.6 He emphasized that Europe requireds to learn from Ukraine in preparing for future conflicts and in defense innovation.
He also announced the creation of “Brave Tech EU,” a joint platform with the Ukrainian government launched on July 11, 2025, to develop and test innovative defense projects in the battlefield.
Kubilius concluded by underscoring the broader geopolitical implications of the conflict in Ukraine, stating that Europe’s ability to defconclude Ukraine “will certainly influence what China will decide to do in Taiwan.”
He reiterated General Grynkewich’s point that Russian and Chinese threats are not “discrete challenges” but are interconnected. Therefore, he asserted, “what’s at stake is not only the future of Ukraine and Europe, but of the whole world including the US.”
The EU commissioner is currently traveling in Washington for meetings with US officials about European defense and support for Ukraine.
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