Antiwar.com – EU’s Defense Chief Says Europe Must Be Ready To Fight Russia In 6-8 Years
Andrius Kubilius, former prime minister of Lithuania, was appointed as the EU’s first defense commissioner
Andrius Kubilius, a former Lithuanian prime minister and the EU’s first defense commissioner, has said Europe must be ready to fight Russia within 6-8 years.
“Defense ministers and NATO generals agree that Vladimir Putin could be ready for confrontation with NATO and the EU in 6-8 years,” Kubilius told Reuters .
“If we take these assessments seriously, then that is the time for us to properly prepare, and it is a short one. This means we have to take quick decisions, and ambitious decisions,” he added.
NATO has been preparing for a future war with Russia despite the risk of the conflict quickly turning nuclear. The EU has little impact on military policy since individual EU members are responsible for their own defense, but the appointment of Kubilius shows the bloc is looking to increase its involvement in war planning.
“The European Union won’t have defense plans or military leadership, like NATO does — but the European Union has instruments to get larger financing, which NATO doesn’t,” Kubilius said.
