The informal European Council that addressed Europe’s defense policy on Monday, February 3, focused on the Greek and Polish prime ministers’ Air defense proposal for the development of a European anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense systems.

As the European Council President António Costa noted in a press conference held after the conclusion of the informal Summit, the leaders of the 27 member states focused on three main topics: military capabilities, funding, and partnerships.

Regarding the defense capabilities that need to be developed as a priority, Costa noted that there was an agreement to focus on the most critical gaps identified by member states through the work of the European Defense Agency, in full coherence with NATO, focusing on areas “where the EU has clear added value,” he said.

He added that discussions clearly focus on anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense, as well as on missiles, ammunition, and mobility.

For her part, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stated that there was “strong support” for the proposal by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis. “Everyone knows that no member state has the capability to build its own air defense system alone,” von der Leyen said, emphasizing that “with war at our borders,” such a system is “absolutely necessary.”

She noted that the details of the project have not yet been clarified but described the air defense shield as a “common European initiative” that needs to be addressed.

According to Costa the summit’s key message is clear: bolstering Europe’s defense industry is a top priority. He emphasized the urgent need to speed up production of critical military capabilities and accelerate the pace to meet growing security demands.

Regarding funding, Costa highlighted that member states have made significant efforts at the national level, with defense spending already increasing by 30% between 2021 and 2024. “Today, on average, the 23 member states that are also NATO allies spend about 2% of their GDP on defense. We must continue in this direction,” he said.

He stressed that the Commission will examine flexibilities within the new economic governance framework to allow for increased national defense spending, at the same time noting that both private and public investments must be mobilized.

Regarding the improvement of access to private financing, he pointed out that the European Investment Bank (EIB) has already expanded its operations to support European security and defense.

As for national-level funding, Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that the European Commission will consider potential flexibility in the Stability and Growth Pact rules for defense investments, giving member states the fiscal space they need to increase their national defense spending.