More results...
Strengthening joint capability development has become a central priority of the EU and its Member States in response to persistent capability gaps, fragmentation, and the deteriorating European security environment. While Member States are responsible for defence planning and capability development, the EU has developed several instruments to support joint capability development.
EU joint procurement has acquired renewed urgency in light of a worsening security environment, yet collaboration remains limited despite record defence spending of in 2025 and longstanding EU benchmarks. The Union has therefore strengthened financial and regulatory incentives to increase joint acquisitions, although political, industrial and governance constraints continue to impede sustained progress.
Russia’s war on Ukraine has been a wake-up call for many EU Member States in terms of defence budgets. Rising from €218 billion in 2021 to an expected €381 billion in 2025, there are significant regional spending differences
The European Union’s defence industry is expanding rapidly amid deteriorating security conditions, rising defence spending, and new EU initiatives that seek to incentivise cross-border defence industry cooperation.
The United States (US) Defense Industrial Base (DIB) represents the largest and most technologically advanced military production ecosystem in the world, encompassing a vast network of private firms, government entities and research institutions.
Russia’s escalating hybrid attacks, including drone incursions, have prompted NATO’s Operation Eastern Sentry and the European Union’s (EU) plans for a European Drone Wall and Eastern Flank Watch.
EU Member States’ defence expenditure rose significantly between 2021 and 2024. The EU has introduced several initiatives to complement national efforts in order to boost defence spending and collaboration.
At the 2025 NATO Summit in The Hague, Allies, most of whom are also EU Member States, made a commitment to investing 5 % of GDP annually on defence requirements and defence- and security-related spending by 2035.
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), established in 1949, is an alliance of 32 countries from Europe and North America committed to safeguarding the security and territory of its member states.
Drones have become a dominant force in Russia’s war against Ukraine, with their numbers reaching unprecedented levels. In May 2024, Ukraine’s military leadership indicated that drones were the leading cause of casualties on both sides, stating that ‘drones kill more soldiers than any other weapon’.