Von der Leyen vows to turn EU into ‘military powerhouse’ – media

Member states have increased defense budgets, citing an alleged Russia threat, which Moscow dismisses as ‘nonsense’

The EU has been working to boost its defense capabilities in order to become a “military powerhouse,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said, Euractiv has reported, citing sources.

The remarks were reportedly made on Wednesday during a closed-door meeting in the European Parliament, where von der Leyen told lawmakers that the bloc needs to draw up its own security strategy and that the Commission would present such a document in 2026.

“We know that we need to be strong … We are not a military powerhouse, but we are building up to be a military powerhouse,” von der Leyen was quoted as saying.

Across the EU, defense budgets are surging as Brussels has pushed for rearmament under the banner of security. The European Commission’s ‘ReArm Europe’ plan, which von der Leyen mentioned as a step to increase the bloc’s military capabilities, aims to pour hundreds of billions into joint weapons procurement and infrastructure, while member states have boosted arms purchases by nearly 40% in just one year.

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Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Western European officials have claimed that Russia could threaten EU states.

Moscow has dismissed such allegations as “nonsense” intended to instill fear and justify higher military outlays, and has condemned what it calls the West’s “reckless militarization.” Russian officials have argued that NATO’s eastward expansion poses an existential threat and remains one of the root causes of the Ukraine conflict, accusing the EU and its allies of preparing for a large-scale confrontation.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has said EU leaders are inflating the alleged danger to push their own political agendas and funnel cash into the arms industry, and that Moscow has no intention of confronting the bloc militarily.