New Defence minister calls for ‘serious reinvestment’ ahead of EU summit
Belgium’s new Defence minister has called for major investment in the armed forces, saying the country “is not ready” to deal with global threats.
Theo Francken of N-VA told Belga that he faces big challenges in his new role. ‘”We have underinvested in our armed forces, so we are going to have to seriously reinvest in them,” he said.
The government wants to raise defence spending to 2 per cent of gross domestic product by 2029, in line with the norm agreed within NATO. By 2034, that figure should rise to 2.5 per cent.
"We have to do what we promised and that is to stand in solidarity with the rest"
“We have to rebuild our armed forces, we have to become resilient again,” Francken said. “We are one of the founding fathers of the European Union and NATO. We have to do what we promised and that is to stand in solidarity with the rest.”
He said there would be money available: “These are political choices you make. If you spend 140 billion euros on social security and only 8 billion on defence, you know it is not balanced.”
In light of the war in Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East and the hybrid war being waged by Russia, Belgium has to be better prepared, he said. “We are not ready at the moment, but we have to be.”
His comments come shortly before the 27 EU leaders meet in Brussels to discuss defence strategy and spending. European Council president António Costa is organising a retreat at the Egmont Palace on Monday. NATO secretary general Mark Rutte and British prime minister Keir Starmer will also attend.
"We cannot wait until the next European multiannual budget is in place"
The summit will focus on two questions, De Tijd reports: what military potential is Europe prepared to tap, and who will pay for it?
Poland, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania spend the most and have no problem with US president Donald Trump demanding that all NATO states spend 5 per cent of their GDP on defence. The bar is currently 2 per cent, and several countries – including Belgium – do not meet the standard.
European funding
Polish prime minister Donald Tusk does not expect any decisions to be made on Monday, but he is counting on European funding for defence. A figure of 100 billion euros is circulating at the Commission, although it is unclear when this would be available.
“We cannot wait until the next European multiannual budget is in place,” he said. “That will only start in 2028 and the first payments will follow in 2029-2030. Vladimir Putin is not waiting either.”
An alternative is to issue European loans. The Baltic states and eastern European countries are in favour, but Germany, the Netherlands and other richer countries are generally not.
Belgians soldiers at a military camp in Kindu, DRC, December 2024 © BELGA PHOTO LOUISE DELVAUX
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