Following the release of the EU’s new ‘Strategic Compass’ which explicitly names Russia as a threat;

William Davies, Associate Defense Analyst at GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company, offers his view:

“This strategic shift will likely lead to an increase in EU defense cooperation and an increased use of organizations such as the European Defense Agency (EDA). The increase in defense budgets across Europe will allow for more funding across various programs. The policy calls for an EU Cyber Defense Policy, as well as an EU Space Strategy.

“The policy explicitly highlights investments in next generation capabilities and technological innovation, and the obvious route for this is the EDA, as well as the Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO), which facilitates defense cooperation between EU member states. The fourth wave of PESCO projects was announced in late 2021 and included Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASV’s), as well as Tactical Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), which will facilitate joint development and increased interoperability between EU nations.

“This policy also indicates that the EU will likely strengthen its relationships with other alliances including NATO, the UN and regional partners including the AU and ASEAN. The policy’s commitment to reducing industrial and technological dependencies signals that the EU is likely to utilize defense spending to improve its defense industry and reduce the number of imports needed to sustain state militaries.”