On 20 May 2026, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius called on the EU Military Committee's Chiefs of Defence to drive a transformation of military demand and to integrate Ukraine's armed forces into European defence structures, warning that Europe risks falling behind Russia in defence production. Speaking at the EU Military Committee meeting at the level of Chiefs of Defence, Kubilius framed the current security environment as a '360-degree challenge' and a 'tectonic shift' from transatlantic to European collective defence.
Kubilius argued that the Chiefs of Defence must be intellectually active in shaping a new European collective defence architecture, including the operationalisation of TEU Article 42.7, a European pillar of NATO, and even a European Security Council. He stressed that national governments and military leaders must open up defence procurement to genuine competition, citing data showing that Germany and France award 70-80% of defence contracts directly to national champions under the TFEU Article 346 security exemption, with minimal cross-border procurement. 'There is no defence market in the European Union,' Kubilius said, warning that this fragmentation prevents the scaling up of production needed to outproduce Russia.
The Commissioner drew a historical parallel to the 1930s, quoting Winston Churchill's criticism of British indecision before World War II, and urged the Chiefs to avoid a similar fate. He highlighted that Russia still heavily outproduces Europe in missiles, drones, tanks, and artillery ammunition, creating a 'permanent temptation for Putin to test Europe.'
Kubilius also called for the integration of Ukraine's battle-tested military into European defence architecture, noting that Ukraine's forces have proven superior in modern warfare during exercises and real combat. He urged the Chiefs of Defence to push their governments for Ukraine's membership in a European Defence Union, even before NATO or EU membership is finalised.
On the industrial side, Kubilius contrasted the 'haute couture' approach of European primes with Ukraine's 'good enough' production that scaled from €1 billion in 2022 to €50 billion in 2025. He argued that transforming demand—away from national preferences and towards interoperable, scalable systems—is essential for deterrence. 'Transformation of demand will define the future of our defence industry and our possibility to defend ourselves,' he said.
operationalising Article 42.7, creating a European Defence Union, and establishing a European Security Council. It also set a clear policy orientation towards deeper EU integration in defence, a more assertive stance vis-à-vis Russia, and a conciliatory approach towards Ukraine. Kubilius did not announce new funding or legislative proposals but framed the Chiefs of Defence as key actors in driving change at national level.
EU defence industry faces pressure to shift from high-cost, low-volume production to scalable 'good enough' systems, potentially benefiting innovative SMEs but challenging established primes. National defence ministries would need to cede procurement autonomy, reducing protection of domestic champions. EU institutions would gain greater coordination authority. Ukraine would gain faster integration into EU defence structures, enhancing its security without immediate NATO membership.