“Bell” at the European Council for the need to strengthen European defense capabilities struck on Thursday o Kyriakos Mitsotakis in the shadow of the war in Ukraine.

According to information in the debate on European defense at the meeting of the European Council, the prime minister emphasized that the need is undeniable upgrading the EU’s defense capabilities.

He underlined that “we are at a time when Europe needs to do more in this area, to develop and finance the European defense industry and not be dependent on third parties’.

“Anything less”, the prime minister pointed out characteristically, “sends the wrong message.”

The EU needs €500 billion in defense spending over the next decade, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told European leaders from her side, according to three officials familiar with the discussion.

Ursula von der Leyen specifically stated that in 1999-2021, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the E.U had increased defense spending by 20%, China by 600% and Russia by 300%. This was before Moscow’s massive spending increase over the past two years, the two officials also commented.

“We hope to complete the deal for von der Leyen, Costa and Kalas”

“Immigration, defence, European competitiveness they will be put on our strategic agenda for the next five years” the Prime Minister emphasized earlier coming to the summit in Brussels, clarifying that the summit is not only about the persons of the highest institutions that will be chosen in the EU.

“Three “political families” (EPP, Socialists, Liberals) have discussed, and some proposals have emerged (for the presidency of the EU, Ms. Von der Leyen, for the presidency of the European Council, Mr. Antonio Costa and for the position of High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Defence, the Prime Minister of Estonia Kaia Kalas)” he noted.

“I hope that these options will be accepted by the European Council, so that the vote in the European Parliament to ratify the President of the European Commission, Ms von der Leyen, can then follow. And I think it is very important that all these processes are completed within the month of July, so that there are no delays in the next European cyclesaid the prime minister.

“We will also discuss in more detail the issues of joint defense cooperation, where I will have the opportunity to bring back the joint proposal that I have formulated with the Polish Prime Minister on the creation of a European anti-missile shield as a beacon project I would say which could mark another step in European defense cooperation, at a time when we all recognize that Europe must do more to shield its common defense” he added.