EU defence chief calls on countries to live up to security ambitions

Published on

02/07/2026 - 12:32 GMT+2

EU countries must match Europe's defence ambitions in the upcoming budget negotiations, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius said at a conference on Thursday.

"If you want peace, prepare for war," Kubilius said, citing an Ancient Roman proverb to argue that strength and readiness are the best deterrents against being attacked.

Kubilius argued that saving money on defence comes at the expense of the future, pointing out the enormous economic damage that accompanies the escalation of tensions into open conflict.