EU must modernize defense due to Russian threat — Borrell's statement.

EU calls for the development of the defense industry in Europe

Josep Borrell, EU High Representative, called for the development of the European defense industry and applied technologies. He stated this after participating in a conference on technological sovereignty in the field of defense. The main goal is to support Ukraine and enhance the competitiveness of Europe in the defense industry. Borrell noted that Russia and other countries surpass the EU in financing defense programs. Also, only 18% of defense equipment in Europe is ordered jointly, with the rest ordered nationally.

The EU has already begun to unite in defense production. For example, the European Defense Fund and the European Defense Agency have started programs for the development of defense technologies. Also, the European Commission launched a Scheme to support defense innovations. Borrell noted that Russian aggression against Ukraine has shown the importance of civilian technologies in the military sector. Companies Microsoft and Starlink provided assistance to Ukraine in protecting its infrastructure during a cyberattack.