Defence Readiness Roadmap: press remarks by High Representative/Vice-President Kaja Kallas at the press conference

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Thank you, dear Henna [Virkkunen].

This roadmap for defence readiness is a plan to keep peace.  

Over the next few years, there must be a major build-up of European defence capabilities. Russia has no capacity to launch an attack on the EU today, but it could prepare itself in the years to come. Danger will not disappear even if the war in Ukraine ends. 

Member States identified nine capability areas, in line with NATO targets. The roadmap is a plan to fill these gaps, with clear goals, timelines, and indicators for work. The European Defence Agency will be instrumental in helping in this. It connects Member States, aggregates demand, provides advice, and links Member States to defence companies. Our aim is that by 2030, all the current shortfalls are filled.

Member States are in the driving seat. It is the Member States who decide what to procure or develop, when, and from whom to procure. Only by working together, we can address the most demanding capability shortfalls.

This is why we propose that Member States work together in coalitions where the Member States cannot work alone because nobody is big enough. The work has already started. This week the first meeting on drones took place with the Netherlands and Latvia in the lead.

Drones are already redefining warfare. Having drone defences is no longer optional for anyone. Today we propose a new anti-drone system to be fully operational by the end of 2027. This will be done, of course, in close cooperation with NATO.

Every country is at risk. Every Member State should be investing in counter-drone systems and capabilities to hit ground targets. That is why we consider that this a ‘flagship’ project.

Eastern Europe bears the brunt of the threat and this needs particular attention. Eastern Flank Watch will bring all the capabilities needed to defend this part of Europe together: counter-drone systems but also ground defence, air defences, maritime, and border management. The goal is to have this ready by 2028.

One hurdle that we must overcome is joint procurement which is still far too low. So, we are upping the ambition to 40% of defence spending by 2027. Economies of scale can help our industries ramp up production and also lower costs for countries. The tax players will thank us for this.

And finally, Ukraine is still Europe’s first line of defence. That is why security guarantees for Ukraine are also part of the roadmap. The strongest security guarantee is a strong Ukrainian defence industry and a strong Ukrainian army. So here we also set milestones, including establishing a drone alliance with Ukraine by early next year. Ukraine’s drone defences are world class. We were just with Executive Vice-President Virkkunen in Kyiv this Monday, also visiting drone factories. It is incredible what they are doing. We have to use their experience from the battle ground, but also their innovation to build on it together.

There are also important elements on financing, creating an EU-wide market for defence equipment and industry. But I will let Commissioner Kubilius explain in more detail, before we take your questions.

Over to you.

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-279098

Q&A

Q. I am wondering how this project will work for the European members that are not members of NATO. For example, the drone wall or the air defence. If NATO has the responsibility of the operation part, then why a Member State that it is not member of NATO invests so much money on it, when at the end, it won't have any say on how to co-operate the instrument? 

The feedback that we got when we were working out the roadmap from the Member States was that, first, the drone wall was about the Eastern flank. Then, Member States who are not on the eastern flank said, “but the drones could come from the sea, [from] the ships, and everybody is in danger.” So, we need this drone defence for everybody, which is why we changed the concept also in this paper. Now, when I am saying that we work in close coordination with NATO means that we don't do anything double. We are working with them on the areas where they already have plans. And I think all those countries who are not members of NATO very much fit in here. Because of what also Commissioner Kubilius said, the drone defence has different elements. It has sensors; it has interceptor drones; it has different layers. When we talk about the countries who are in in NATO, that is very clear: it is part of their capability gaps. It is part of their military plans. But when we are talking about the countries who are not in NATO, then it is separate plans: when it comes to having the interceptors, having the sensors – the same. They are just not part of the military planning of NATO, but it doesn't mean that they don't need the defence regarding drones and the anti-drone systems.  

Q. And second question: is Croatia part of any leading initiative? High Representative mentioned the Netherlands and Latvia, I think, on the drone issue. Is Croatia part of that as well? 

It is a table of Member States showing their interest, whether they want to be a lead and co-lead in the nine capability areas or participant states. But we can follow up on that. I do not remember it by heart. I know that participant states, definitely everybody is participating in the different coalitions and showing interest here. So, I can come back on the very specific whether they are leading or something, but I do not remember right now. 

Q. I have follow up questions of my colleagues. Is this roadmap mandatory? Because we know that some NATO countries are reluctant to spend 2% of the GDP when others, especially in the East, try to spend five and even more. So, will the Commission monitor how all the countries go with all this plan, this timetable, graphics, etc.? What if they don't? 

To add to that, the President of the Commission and I got the clear tasking from the European Council – I mean at the leaders’ level – after we presented the White Paper on Defence Readiness to have a clear roadmap how we get there. That is why this roadmap is having clear objectives, clear deadlines and clear monitoring as well. Of course, it is up to the Member States finally, because the Member States are in driving seat, but it clearly helps them to achieve these goals, to also do things together. And, if we have the monitoring, then it is also showing who does what and where we have still gaps and what to fill. So, it is to help to fill the task also for NATO. 

Q. As I understood from all documents that I got, Ukraine now will have possibility to join the coalition of capabilities, if I am correct. How do you see this membership of Ukraine: just a consultation or Ukraine could be, like, equal member or some member with restrictions, how do you see it? Which coalition could join Ukraine? 

As I said, we have so much to learn from Ukraine, and it really works as a win-win. We have the Defence Industries Alliance. We have the Drone Alliance, where we are working together with Ukraine, because there we have so much to learn from what they have already done. We do not have to invent the wheel. The wheel has already been invented. When it comes to the drone defence, then we have this already in Ukraine. And that is why we are exploring the possibilities there firsthand. 

Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/media/video/I-279100