If proponents have their way, nearly 400 billion euros from the EU’s Cohesion Fund could soon be spent on increased arms production and other military buildups.
Supporters of the EU usually claim that it is a project to ensure peace and cooperation in Europe. Now, however, there are signs that the Union is moving in a much more militaristic direction and that hundreds of billions of euros may be reallocated to EU defense and security, reports the Financial Times.
The possible military buildup is justified by the ongoing war in Ukraine, where Russia is seen as a pressing threat to Europe – and by the fact that Donald Trump will be the next US president, and there are fears that he will cut aid to Ukraine and the US military presence in Europe.
Nearly €400 billion from the EU’s Cohesion Fund, which is normally used for grants and aid to “even out” economic disparities between member states, would be spent on increasing the production of arms and ammunition, and reinforcing roads and bridges to make them suitable for military transport.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky is said to have welcomed the proposal, which also has the support of the EU’s eastern member states, which have already significantly increased their defense spending in connection with the war in Ukraine and hope to be compensated in various ways.
