EU Commission to unveil defense roadmap in two weeks

The European Commission will present a roadmap on the EU’s defense capabilities until 2030 in two weeks, followed by a European Council meeting three weeks later to discuss and adopt decisions, officials said at a joint press conference.

European Council President Antonio Costa, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen stressed that Europe’s security is impossible without support for Ukraine.

Costa said the EU’s eastern flank faces the most serious threat but that security means protecting all of Europe’s borders. He called for a “360-degree approach” to defense, requiring effective political oversight and coordination.

Frederiksen added that “Ukraine is today the guarantee of Europe’s security” and said EU countries must ensure long-term financing for Ukraine’s armed forces. She also voiced support for a model that would treat Russia’s future reparations as advance payments for Ukraine’s defense.

Von der Leyen said the roadmap will not only define common goals but also concrete stages. Priorities include strengthening EU military capabilities by boosting interoperability of national forces, filling critical defense gaps through “capabilities coalitions,” reinforcing the eastern flank against hybrid threats, and enabling closer cooperation between industry and the military.