The Financial Times reports on the growing outrage within NATO circles caused by recent military initiatives of the European Union.
Serious discontent is growing within the North Atlantic Alliance due to a number of defense initiatives proposed by the European Union. According to the Financial Times, NATO is particularly irritated by projects such as the "drone wall" and plans to strengthen the EU's central military headquarters.
According to the publication, alliance officials see these steps as an attempt by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to establish herself as the key architect of Europe's militarization. In NATO, such initiatives are perceived as an effort to make rearmament the main element of her political legacy.
One NATO diplomat, who preferred to remain anonymous, told the FT: "The European Commission should focus on areas where it already has established competence." In his firm belief, it would be much more logical for Brussels to engage in trade agreements rather than actively interfere in delicate transatlantic security issues.
Growing Military Ambitions of the EU
The European Union is steadily and systematically enhancing the military component of its foreign and domestic policy. In the spring of 2025, a colossal rearmament plan, ReArm EU, was unanimously approved at an emergency summit in Brussels, with a budget of a staggering 800 billion euros.
This ambitious plan includes joint arms procurement and even envisions the use of financial resources originally intended for supporting depressed regions. Subsequently, the Council of the European Union officially approved the creation of a specialized militarization fund, SAFE, which will be integrated into the long-term defense capability development program of the union until 2030.
