LOC19:53
16:53 GMT
BRUSSELS, May 4 (KUNA) -- European Union Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius proposed Sunday a shift in the EU military support strategy for Ukraine, suggesting local procurement of weapons could significantly increase aid delivered without raising the budget.
In a post on X, Kubilius said that if peace negotiations led by former U.S. President Donald Trump fail to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin, the EU and its allies must be ready to offer "more convincing arguments" for peace through enhanced military assistance.
"Until now, the EU and the U.S. have provided around آ€40 billion a year in military aid to Ukraine," Kubilius noted. "But we can spend that same amount procuring modern weapons inside Ukraine which would cost about half as much as those made in the EU or US."
This approach, he said, would effectively double the quantity of weapons Ukraine could receive, raising the real value of Western support to approximately آ€80 billion annually.
Kubilius emphasized the role of new EU-backed SAFE loans, which are designed to enable Member States to boost their military contributions. "These loans offer exactly the kind of financial mechanism needed to scale up military support to Ukraine," he said.
Kubilius added: "Thatآ’s how the formula آ‘Peace through strengthآ’ can truly work in practice. SAFE loans mean strength for Ukraine." (end)
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