The risks of depending too heavily on the U.S. became clear when former President Trump abruptly decided to cut off military aid and intelligence-sharing to Ukraine. This move was intended to pressure Kyiv into peace talks with Russia, but it seriously undermined allied efforts to support Ukraine.
Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas emphasized how Ukraine’s dependence on foreign assistance has slowed its military operations. “They use weapons that are not produced in Ukraine, and sometimes there are restrictions on how they can be used… Your military needs to have the ability to act freely,” she explained.
A new EU strategy document acknowledged that while the U.S. has been a key ally, Washington believes it is overstretched in Europe and aims to reduce its historic role as the region’s primary security provider.
Funding European Defense
One of the most concrete proposals in the strategy is the European Commission’s plan to lend up to €150 billion to EU member states for defense spending through the SAFE (Strategic Autonomy for Europe) instrument.
Although these loans will be available only to EU countries, nations outside the bloc could still participate in joint weapons procurement. Partners eligible for such collaboration include Ukraine, the four EFTA countries (Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, and Liechtenstein), as well as accession candidates and third countries with security partnerships with the EU.
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