NATO and EU demand speed of production, scaling and innovation from defense companies

Europe must reach a level of complete readiness by 2030, capable of deterring any threat, is the joint message conveyed yesterday by Mark Rutte - NATO Secretary General - and Ursula von der Leyen - President of the European Commission, at the opening of the Defense Industry Forum of the Allied States.

Opening the event that took place in the wake of the NATO summit taking place today in The Hague, Mark Rutte said that there is an urgent need to strengthen the military capabilities of the West. In a geopolitical context marked by the aggressive rearmament of Russia, supported by Chinese technology and armed by Iran and North Korea, Rutte evoked the old Roman principle "si vis pacem, para bellum” - "if you want peace, prepare for war” -, emphasizing that credible deterrence is only possible through a solid, coherent and well-funded defense.

"It is inconceivable that Russia, with an economy 25 times smaller than NATO's, could surpass us in arms production,” Mark Rutte pointed out.

That is why he announced a new Defence Investment Plan, which foresees spending 5% of GDP on defence, a historic decision that will transform security into a major economic engine, with millions of jobs created on both sides of the Atlantic. "Now it is the turn of industry to deliver - and to do it quickly,” Rutte concluded.

The NATO Secretary General highlighted the significant efforts made by Allied states to relaunch industrial defence production: hundreds of new lines have been opened, and the Alliance is on track to produce more ships, aircraft and ammunition than in recent decades. At the same time, Mark Rutte showed that NATO has launched new multinational projects, including for the creation of innovation polygons intended for testing and integrating state-of-the-art technology into military structures, as well as for securing supply chains of essential raw materials for industry. Rutte also welcomed the expansion of the joint refueling and evacuation air fleet, carried out in cooperation with the European Union, a clear example of effective transatlantic synergy.

Referring to Ukraine, the NATO Secretary General highlighted its potential as an industrial and innovative power, welcoming recent British investments that integrate Ukrainian drone manufacturers directly into the UK industrial base.

Complementing this message, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, conveyed that the future of Europe is written not only on the battlefield in Ukraine, but also in factories throughout the Union. She showed that, in record time, the European defense industry has increased production and adapted to a new reality, namely a large-scale war, waged on European soil. Von der Leyen stressed that, faced with a collapsing security architecture, Europe has taken unprecedented measures: the ReArm Europe plan, which mobilises euro650 billion over the next four years, and the SAFE financial instrument, which provides euro150 billion in loans for joint defence procurement.

The President of the European Commission mentioned the EU's support for the modernisation of existing systems and the urgent integration of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, jamming systems, combat software and dual-use components. She pointed out that while NATO sets standards and capability targets, the European Union has a key role in creating connections between industries, between the civil and military sectors, and between NATO and non-NATO states. In this regard, Ursula von der Leyen presented three priorities: supporting defence start-ups to become European "unicorns"; facilitating access to infrastructures such as AI factories and innovation funds; and creating predictable contractual conditions for the industry through joint procurement and cross-border collaboration.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, a special guest at the defense industry forum, said that the production potential of Ukraine's defense industry exceeds $44 billion, but about 40% of this potential does not receive adequate funding. The leader in Kiev also said that Ukraine can produce about 8 million drones per year, but funding is available for a significantly smaller number. He noted that at this time, Russia uses not only oil revenues for its defense, but also resources from North Korea and Iran, and the most responsive to the Russian military network is the EU and NATO unity with Ukraine, based on the allocation of resources for the joint production of weapons necessary to deter the Russian threat.