Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken warned that Europe faces a “dark winter” of further Russian hybrid attacks, even as his own government carries the EU’s highest debt. He spoke to Euronews journalist Angela Skujins on Wednesday, September 30, while defence officials, ministers and industry leaders gathered in Brussels for the Euronews Defence and Space Summit.
Francken called Russia the biggest threat to Belgium’s security. Belgium has faced several drone incidents this year, some of which disrupted air traffic. “Russia, air attack, air attack, air attack. This is the biggest threat. So we need air defence, air defence, air defence,” he said. Europe, he added, needs “more stocks, more production, scale up production, and a large industrial base. Everything has to go faster.”
The Fiscal Picture
The minister didn’t hold back about his country’s record. Belgium was “like the worst pupil of the NATO class,” he said, after spending 1 per cent of GDP on defence. That figure has now doubled. “But I cannot do in 18 months what has been neglected for 40 years.”
He said Belgium has the EU’s highest debt and one of its most challenging budgetary positions. The government remains committed to raising defence spending, he said, but allocating 5% of GDP to defence wouldn’t be realistic for Belgium in the near term.
Francken also raised a procurement concern. “I don't want to have 200,000 drones somewhere in a stock, and in two months you cannot even use them because they're outdated.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. He put Russia’s expertise in hybrid attacks at 50 years.
Ukraine’s bill is growing, too. On Tuesday, Kyiv urged the EU to use immobilised Russian assets to cover a shortfall next year that could reach $78 billion (€68.77 billion) if allies don’t increase contributions. Finance Minister Sergii Marchenko made the request in Brussels. The EU holds €210 billion in Russian sovereign assets, most of it at Euroclear, a Brussels depository. Marchenko acknowledged the issue was politically difficult and urged a centralised, legally sound framework.
Sovereignty and the Buy-European Dispute
The summit’s sharpest exchange concerned who gets to supply Europe’s arms. The European Commission and EU states have proposed favouring domestic manufacturers to reduce reliance on US-made weapons. US Ambassador to the EU Andrew Puzder criticised the policy, warning it could alienate allies and fragment 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, he added, “capability and availability should determine the solution, not geography.”
NATO’s top military commander, Alexus Grynkewich, told the European Parliament’s defence committee on Tuesday that “codifying preferences as to where military hardware is made” benefits Europe’s “adversaries.” The Pentagon has also strongly opposed the move, even as the US administration presses European allies to become more independent in self-defence.
Member states remain split. Some governments have warned against over-protectionism, given the manufacturing power of the US arms industry. Puzder said the Commission had indicated it had “no intention” of preventing member states from using national funds to buy US weapon systems. He also praised the Commission for allowing American defence material to be procured for Ukraine under the bloc’s €90 billion loan, and said Washington would lobby for the same provisions in upcoming defence policies.
Security Dimension
The summit took place as Ukraine entered its fifth wartime winter. Estonia accused Russia of carrying out an arson attack in August against a major drone manufacturer. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has called such incidents part of a “new era of European security.”
Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius has argued that military mobility needs significant improvement, citing difficulties moving troops and equipment quickly across national borders. The agenda also covered joint procurement, production capacity, cyber security, and protection of civilian and military infrastructure. Governments are trying to address supply-chain vulnerabilities and differences between national procurement systems.
Kyrylo Budanov, head of the Office of the President of Ukraine, told Euronews that countries with drone cooperation agreements could gain access to Ukraine’s newest technology for intercepting Russian jet-powered drones. Ukrainian air-defence crews told Euronews they sometimes have only 10 to 15 seconds to react.
Why This Matters: The summit put three pressures side by side: a threat officials describe as escalating, national budgets that can’t easily stretch, and a dispute over whether European money should buy European weapons. Belgium’s position shows the gap between defence ambitions and fiscal room. Francken said 5% of GDP isn’t realistic there in the near term. The procurement row raises a question of who decides: Brussels, or national governments spending national funds. From a centre-right perspective, the test is whether Europe can build production capacity and keep spending accountable to taxpayers, without losing access to the capabilities its allies say it needs.