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MEPS WELCOMED NEW European defence spending measures in Strasbourg this morning and many asserted that the plan to boost military capability in member states was only a first step.
During a discussion in the European Parliament, MEPs from across the political spectrum welcomed the EU’s efforts to fill a potential gap in the continent’s defence as the US steps away from its long-held role as a security backstop.
Some MEPs said the European Commission’s €800bn plan did not go far enough and must be seen as the starting point in securing European military autonomy going forward.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said that the “time for illusions” was over, claiming that EU institutions and member states must come to realise that there is a need for a “surge” in defence spending on the continitent.
Von der Leyen last week announced plans to unlock €800bn for defence spending in advance of a gathering of European leaders in Brussels in response to the growing threat from Russia.
European leaders later backed the plan, which controversially included changes to borrowing limits and rules, meaning individual governments can receive loans from the EU’s financial institutions to finance defence spending.
It comes as the US under Donald Trump steps away from its traditional role as Europe’s security backup plan and casts doubt over the future capabilities for the EU to defend itself and support countries like Ukraine against aggression.
Regardless of these changing geopolitical contexts, Ireland must retain and stay committed to its neutrality, said both Fianna Fáil MEP Billy Kelleher and Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion.
Kelleher throughout his contribution said it was the position of the Irish government to fulfill and carry out the defence plan so that the EU is protected in the years to come, and will support other member states through non-lethal means.
Kelleher said Ireland would do this by supporting the measures included in the plan, but refrain from joining any military alliances or deterrent forces. He repeatedly quoted former Taoiseach Seán Lemass: “If it’s worth building, it’s worth defending.”
Funchion claimed, however, that the government is backsliding on Irish neutrality, and denounced measures to remove the need for a UN mandate from the so-called Triple Lock – the mechanism that is used to deploy Irish troops.
Funchion used her time in the Parliament to call for for a referendum on the matter in Ireland.
Questions still remain for Europe, according to European People’s Party President and German MEP Manfred Weber. He said the plan lacked requirements for European member states to act as one, through joint-purchasing and borrowing.
Weber questioned how the EU can behave as a cohesive entity if a representative has not been chosen to attend Ukraine peace negotiations. He queried just how effective the plan can be if it did not require member states to work together on joint projects.
Weber also demanded that the European Commission detail how much say the Parliament will have in defence decisions in the future, and if the EU will take up the French ‘nuclear shield’ offer.
Because of this, Weber said, the original treaties setting out the framework of the EU in 1952 and leading it to where it is today were more ambitious than what has been proposed by the Commission.
Other members questioned the European Commission’s commitment to the plan, claiming that von der Leyen’s €800bn price tag was overestimated, by a few hundred billion euros, as the EU has only committed €150bn to the pot.
This point was reiterated on a number of occasions during the three-hour debate this morning by different members from opposing political factions.
They questioned if the EU, as a single entity, was truly willing to support Europe’s defence or was it seeking to pass on the cost and effort to individual governments to borrow and make up the remaining €650bn.
Spanish leader of the Socialists and Democrats Iratxe García Pérez echoed these calls, telling the Parliament that while steps need to be taken to further secure and guarantee European defence capabilities, it should not just mean expanding the EU’s purse.
Pérez said spending rule changes should be paired with an increased focus on diplomacy and cooperation between member states and transatlantic partners. Separately, she said, defence spending should not come at the cost of social protection funding.
Patriots of Europe leader and French MEP Jordan Bardella accused von der Leyen and the previous Commission of leading Europe to the point where it had to take these measures, claiming leaders in the EU have not seen the importance of diplomacy.
The far-right politician cast doubt on the effectiveness of the plan, claiming von der Leyen’s political choices have “failed” the EU in the past. Though supporting peace in Ukraine, Bardella, a member of Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, said the EU needs a “clear priority” in relation to the war.
Leader of the European Conservative and Reformists, Italian right-wing MEP Nicola Procaccini, suggested a name change to von der Leyen’s ‘ReArm EU’- echoing the calls of his Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
He said the purpose of the EU’s plan was not to create a de-facto arms race or increase military capability, but to instead insure that the continent can defend itself from potential aggressors in the future.
Because of this, he asked von der Leyen to consider Meloni’s suggestion to name the plan ‘Defend EU’ so that the true aim of the plan is reflect, which he said was to preserve and protect peace and democracy within member states.
While political and legislative leaders come and go, he said, the West and the EU must remain a constant.
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It’s amazing there is always money for war but never enough finance in the kitty to stamp out poverty.No profits in eradicating poverty I guess.
@Deadman Walking: Money is only one aspect of poverty. “WHEN THERE IS NO CONSEQUENCE FOR POOR WORK ETHIC, AND NO REWARD FOR GOOD WORK ETHIC, THERE IS NO MOTIVATION.” This is the flaw in communist thinking as East Europeans found out under USSR and will fight not to let Russia impose it again.
@Mr Inbetween: so true politicians will go into hiding on their private jets and into bunkers and all their family Cared for a while everybody else has sent out to be slaughtered. It’s an absolute disgrace., we should demand that the heads of government go out first since it’s all their ideas
The first step to the demise of the EU, shower of warmongers
The arms industry rubbing it’s hands in glee
@Nigel Hayden: I’m sure they will look after the politicians too.
@Nigel Hayden: Shares shot up, Rheinmetall on Monday over 80%
@Nigel Hayden: Only fair Nigel,after all the Pharma Mafia got their couple of year’s with Covid.
I think there are a few typos in this headline, please allow me to correct it for you.
MEPs welcome the handing over of €800bn of EU taxpayers money to the arms industry, a large part of which is owned by the Blackrock, Vanguard and Capital group hedgefunds, and say its only a first step in this multi generational scam, to divert public funds into private hands.
Cool. We might as well just hand the money to the weapons dealers so, because as Musk says, anything we “purchase” will be obsolete anyway. Ireland should continue to lead the way in human rights, peace keeping and diplomacy.
https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-crewed-fighter-jet-f-35-obsolete-drone-technology2024-11
“The goal ia a endless war not a successful war”
Julian Assange
I’m pro EU but have a massive problem with a genocide supporter telling us we all need to spend more money on arms.
Just like 1914. Voting to divert billions to the arms industry and cut social spending. Remember the recipients of this largess are the same companies that aided and abetted the Genocide in Palestine.
The buildup is not because of any threat from Russia but to enable EU imperialism as it tries to reimpose itself on its former colonies in the global south.
@James Corcoran: you Sir are daft.
After the next crash, I don’t really want to hear all of those ‘magic money tree’ quips as they cut old age pensions.
@gordon kennedy: it’s great news, they will soon destroy Russians and right so
@Micky The Pikey: whatever, saving the best for last, is it?
@Micky The Pikey: Go back to bed
The biggest scam since Convid.
@087 bed: Didn’t take long did it?
More guns, more tanks, more fighter planes, cheers and trebles all around, fir the lobbyists anyway!
Sending European taxpayers money to Jihadists to fight proxy wars I’d imagine will be one of the steps, as we are seeing in Syria at the moment.
She is some evil piece of work that c##t
The government that we have will nod and agree with this disgusting misappropriation of our hard earned taxes .
This is wrong on so many levels .
They even have brainwashed people that if you disagree either this spending or do not approve of the slaughter
taking place .. some idiot will call you a Russian bot or something as intelligent
Make room for the “New Irish Scamigrants voters” to keep the corrupt uniparty in power and the Irish natives into the meat grinder.
This is good news. Deterrence is paramount and the opposite of what the hysterical putinistas are whingeing about here. In the emerging multipolar world, we have to be able to discourage and deter bad actors. What we have is worth protecting.
@Chutes Idiot: It’s Slava Ukraini. Silly troll.
If you don’t understand what deterrence involves, you should look it up. As a devoted supporter of a convicted ra-pist and the guy who is busy trying to copperfasten Russias murderous invasion of Ukraine, your dribble about “death and destruction…back slapping ursula” seems distinctly ill judged and particularly hypocritical.
Trolls used to be enjoyable.
@Chutes Idiot: yawn
@Chutes Idiot: ” brenny” – priceless. He really got to you, didn’t he? I hope he’s reading this exchange. I had serious disagreements with him, but I hope he’s enjoying your blind firing. Everyone is “brenny” in the trolls world!
@honey badger: Point me to that conviction when you’re ready. Europe is a joke. Uk sending 2.5 billion to Ukraine, utter bollox. Won’t make the slightest difference to this bloody waste of life. The only thing that’s going to make a difference is peace talks and a deal. I suppose we’re lucky enough to have hard as nails keyboard warriors behind usernames like yourself.
@Eric Gaffney: You’d do well as the hose if putin ever needs an enema. Putins revanchism, best illustrated by him breaking 22 separate ceasefires with Ukraine since 2014, is what started and maintains “the bloody waste of life.” I strongly doubt you’ll be lobbying for Russia to return any portion of the lands they have annexed from Ukraine since 2014. Tell me I’m wrong.
@honey badger: You’re wrong. Went into Ukraine because he’s an evil fxxxer, is that the narrative?
@Eric Gaffney: Should Putin return the lands he has annexed?
@honey badger: As long as a peace agreement is reached between both sides. Ukraine have been responsible for a lot of the crap over there since 2014, as well you know.
@Eric Gaffney: I didn’t ask about a peace agreement. I asked if Russia should return the lands they’ve annexed from Ukraine.
@honey badger: And I asked you to direct me to that conviction, but there you go.
@Eric Gaffney: Found liable for rape and defamation. That’s a conviction in my mind. If you met a nice lady and she’d heard you’d been convicted of rape and defamation, do you think she’d be fine with you pointing out it was only found that you were liable in a civil court, and the multi million fine was a mere trifle?
Anyway, should Russia return the lands they have annexed from Ukraine.
@honey badger: He has been criminally convicted in the hush money trial but sentencing has been delayed pending appeals etc. Just checked there.
@honey badger: You called him a convicted ra pist. I’d watch my posts if I was you.
@Eric Gaffney: He is a ra-pist, though. I’d watch your own determination to absolve a ra-pist of the crime of ra-pe. Ask Judge Lewis Kaplan if you don’t believe me. Silly putinista. Shame you never got around to saying if Russia should return the territories it annexed from Ukraine. You absolute fanny.
@honey badger: ah the name calling, ye couldn’t resist your juvenile tendencies. Enjoy your forever war from behind a screen.
@Eric Gaffney: Very sensitive for a lad supportive of child abduction. Answer the question.
Does this mean Germany won’t be using broom handles?
Utter nonsense
when the future media try to rewrite history and blame the non communist world for this mess just remember it was
Communist Russia that again tried to force state capitalism and socialist subservience on people that do not want it.
@thomas molloy: Christ, you really are thick as two planks. There was a poll conducted by The Economist/YouGov about 2 years ago that found 42 percent of Americans thought that Russia was communist. The poll also found that the group most likely to have such a perception about Russia are those who voted for Trump, with 56 percent of his supporters saying that today’s Russia remains communist. You being one of his minions I’m not surprised you’re on here spouting this drivel.. again. Take a day off and get out of your bunker. Grand day out there.. bit of fresh air might do ya good.
This €800 billion defence package is a start and giving all EU member nations a nuclear shield by donating them fission missiles needs to happen in the near future. However, this defence spending cannot be done in the irresponsible manner that the left-wing politicians at the EU Commission propose. There needs to be a sharp reduction in wasteful government expenditure before this can be done. CAP, welfare spending and environmental/green energy subsides all should be on the table for cutting. I strongly support increasing defence spending but I still believe that fiscal prudence shouldn’t be abandoned. If this goes ahead without any reductions in other areas of the budget, we will see a return to high inflation because of the EU will simply borrow and print money to cover the costs.
have your say