EU Urged by Kallas and Tusk to Boost Defense Spending Amid Warnings of Potential Russian Attack in 3-5 Years

Jan 22, 2025, 02:49 PM

The European Union is facing calls to significantly increase its defense spending amid warnings of a potential Russian attack within the next three to five years. EU Foreign Policy Chief Kaja Kallas emphasized the need for the bloc to prepare for war, stating that Russia poses an existential threat to Europe's security. Kallas acknowledged that President Donald Trump is correct in asserting that EU countries do not spend enough on defense, with last year's average EU defense spending at 1.9% of GDP, compared to Russia's 9%. She stressed the importance of the EU spending more than 1% of its GDP on defense to 'prepare for the worst'. Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged Europe to arm itself to 'survive' in an increasingly uncertain global order, echoing Trump's call for NATO members to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. Tusk's statements were made during Poland's rotating presidency of the EU Council, which has prioritized security. The urgency of these calls is underscored by European intelligence agencies' warnings about a possible Russian attack on the EU by 2028, and Kallas mentioned that the EU is working on a 16th package of sanctions against Russia.