Translated with AI
The EU countries may significantly increase military aid to Ukraine if US President Donald Trump fails to convince Vladimir Putin to end the war quickly, said European Commissioner for Defence Andrius Kubilius. According to him, the EU and the US have so far provided Kyiv with military aid worth around 40 billion euros a year, but these funds could be used more effectively by purchasing cheaper weapons directly from Ukrainian manufacturers. "This would effectively double the amount of weapons that Ukraine receives for the same 40 billion euros. The real cost of our support would increase to 80 billion euros," Kubilius wrote on the social network X on Sunday, May 4.
The European Commissioner reminded that EU countries have a new tool to help Ukraine – they can use defense loans to finance military purchases for Kyiv. “This is how the “Peace through Strength” formula can truly work in practice. Loans are strength for Ukraine!” Kubilius emphasized.
As part of the EU's ambitious rearmament plan adopted this year, the European Commission will provide €150 billion in loans to ensure rapid joint procurement and production of weapons. The new financial opportunities will allow EU countries to invest in arms production in Ukraine or team up with local companies to ensure the integration of the Ukrainian military-industrial complex with the European one, explained European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Earlier, The Washington Post (WP), citing European officials, wrote that more and more EU countries are considering investing in Ukraine's defense industry instead of directly supplying weapons, since Europe's weapons stockpiles have been greatly reduced during Russia's three-year war against Ukraine. "It's a win-win. It's cheaper for us, and they need to produce. And the Ukrainians are teaching us a lot," one of WP's sources noted.
The European Union has already transferred 1 billion euros to Kyiv for the production of howitzers. As a result, Ukraine has established the production of both self-propelled and towed Bogdan howitzers — the first with a NATO caliber of 155 mm. More than 85 percent of their components are produced at local enterprises, but by the end of the year this figure should grow to 95 percent, predicted the head of the Defense Procurement Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine Arsen Zhumadilov. According to him, the scale of local production has no analogues in Europe: thanks to cooperation with European partners, monthly output has increased from six howitzers in 2023 to 20 this year.
