FT: NATO expressed dissatisfaction with a number of EU military initiatives
Inside NATO, discontent is growing over a number of defense initiatives from the European Union. According to the Financial Times, irritation within the alliance is particularly directed at projects such as the creation of a so-called "drone wall," as well as plans to strengthen the EU's central military headquarters.
According to the publication, NATO officials believe that these steps reflect the desire of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to establish herself as the key architect of Europe's militarization. The alliance perceives such initiatives as an attempt to make rearmament the main element of her political legacy.
One NATO diplomat, who wished to remain unnamed, indicated in a conversation with the FT that the European Commission should focus on areas where it already has established expertise. In his opinion, Brussels should engage in trade agreements without interfering in transatlantic security issues.
The EU is consistently increasing the military component of its policy. In the spring of 2025, a large-scale rearmament plan called ReArm EU, worth 800 billion euros, was approved at an emergency summit in Brussels. It includes, among other things, joint arms procurement and the use of funds intended to support depressed regions. Later, the Council of the European Union approved the creation of a special militarization fund, SAFE, which will become part of a long-term program to develop the defense potential of the union by 2030.
