Difficulties moving troops and equipment quickly across national borders top the agenda at the Euronews Defence and Space Summit in Brussels, where officials are discussing military mobility and Europe’s response to Russian hybrid threats. European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius says Europe must significantly improve how forces move across the continent. EU and NATO officials, defence ministers, military commanders and defence-industry representatives are attending.
National Borders and Defence Readiness
The one-day summit took place at Albert Hall on Wednesday, September 30. The programme covers defence investment, joint procurement, military mobility, production capacity, cyber security, protection of civilian and military infrastructure, secure cloud infrastructure and emerging technologies.
The EU is pursuing a broader defence-readiness agenda, aiming to boost production capacity and cooperation between member states. Governments also want to strengthen Europe’s defence industrial base, tackle supply-chain vulnerabilities and differences between national procurement systems, and expand European manufacturing capacity.
Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken told Euronews journalist Angela Skujins that Europe faces a “dark winter” of further Russian hybrid attacks in the coming months. He called Russia the biggest threat to Belgium’s security. Belgium has faced several drone incidents this year, some disrupting air traffic.
“Russia, air attack, air attack, air attack. This is the biggest threat. So we need air defence, air defence, air defence,” Francken said. Europe needs Ukrainian technology to counter Russian jet-powered drones, he said, along with “more stocks, more production, scale up production, and a large industrial base. Everything has to go faster.”
Francken said Russia has 50 years of expertise in hybrid attacks and Belgium must keep pace with technological trends. “I don't want to have 200,000 drones somewhere in a stock, and in two months you cannot even use them because they're outdated. So we have to adapt,” he said.
Spending, Production and Procurement
Francken described Belgium as having been “like the worst pupil of the NATO class.” The country spent 1 per cent of GDP on defence, and spending has now doubled. “But I cannot do in 18 months what has been neglected for 40 years.” Belgium has the EU’s highest debt and one of its most challenging budgetary positions, he said, making it unrealistic to allocate 5% of GDP to defence in the near term.
The EU’s plan to favour European-made arms drew criticism from Andrew Puzder, the US Ambassador to the EU. He warned that the policy could alienate allies and split the transatlantic defence industrial base. “Only our enemies benefit when we lose focus on making sure we have the most effective weapons, supporting our mutual defence,” he said. When lives are at stake, Puzder added, “capability and availability should determine the solution, not geography.”
The European Commission and EU states have proposed favouring domestic arms manufacturers to reduce reliance on US-made weapons. The proposals have divided member states. Some governments warn against over-protectionism, given the manufacturing power of the US arms industry. The Pentagon has strongly opposed the move, while the US administration has pressed NATO’s European allies to become more independent in self-defence.
Hybrid Threats and European Coordination
European officials have warned of escalating Russian hybrid warfare, including sabotage, arson and frequent drone incursions. Estonia accused Russia of carrying out an arson attack in August against a major drone manufacturer. NATO has vowed that escalating threats won't curb support for Kyiv.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has described the incidents as part of a “new era of European security.” Kubilius has called for a stronger European response. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has stressed that NATO must maintain capabilities to respond to security threats, while European officials have called for stronger EU-NATO coordination.
On Tuesday, NATO’s top military commander Alexus Grynkewich told the European Parliament’s defence committee that “codifying preferences as to where military hardware is made” benefits Europe’s “adversaries.” Puzder said the US would lobby for provisions allowing American defence material in upcoming EU policies. He also said the EU executive had indicated it had “no intention” of preventing member states from using national funds to buy US weapon systems.