Kubilius said that stockpiling ammunition would bolster the EU’s underdeveloped defense industry, which, in his view, lacks “stable, long-term orders for production.”
Finland is one of the few EU countries with significant stockpiles, while news reports from two years ago suggest Germany’s reserves would only last a few days in the event of conflict.
The European Commission recently allocated €500 million to defense companies to expand artillery ammunition production, aiming to produce two million shells annually by 2025.
While Kubilius sees progress, he cautioned that the EU still lags behind Russia in military preparedness and called for cooperation with Ukrainian arms manufacturers, who have “real-world experience,” he said.
Kubilius is preparing a white paper on EU defense, which will include plans for an air defense shield and a cybersecurity system.
However, his proposal for joint borrowing to fund these initiatives has faced opposition from net contributors to the EU budget, such as Germany and the Netherlands.
If Kubilius receives the approval from the European Parliament, he will assume his role in the new European Commission under President Ursula von der Leyen on December 1.
