New EU defense commissioner fully committed to backing Ukraine

Andrius Kubilius's stance on Ukraine is unmistakable; he is a strong supporter, which is significant given his appointment as the European Union's inaugural defense commissioner on Tuesday, News.Az reports citing foreign media.

"For those who are arguing that Ukraine should agree with the peace conditions of [Russian leader Vladimir] Putin, I would suggest to look into the possibility to offer to Putin territory of their own country," he said in the European Parliament in July, adding: "Peace can be achieved only if Ukraine is winning and its territorial sovereignty is defended, and that can be done only with our much longer support."

While his new title sounds grand, the EU only plays a peripheral role in defense, an area where national capitals jealously guard their sovereignty. Instead of commanding armies, Kubilius will be in charge of better organizing the EU's fragmented defense industry and helping member countries rearm while continuing to ship crucial weapons to Ukraine.

"He will work on developing the European defense union and boosting our investment in capacity,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters after announcing the makeup of the new Commission.

Von der Leyen proposed creating the new job earlier this year in response to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, a break with the EU's tradition of seeing itself as a project dedicated to peace. Even the bloc's main financing vehicle for partially reimbursing countries for arms donated to Ukraine is called the European Peace Facility.

But any new commission post involves wresting files from existing (and often powerful) incumbents. That's where it's clear Kubilius begins on the back foot.

He will have to report to Finland's Henna Virkkunen, who is in charge of the technology portfolio, von der Leyen said.

Von der Leyen also underlined that the new job is not a power grab.

"I'm very clear about the fact that there are competences of the member states, like the composition of the troops, the missions, the deployment," she said, adding that Kubilius "is responsible for the single market and the industry ... and the strengthening of the defense industrial base."

In her mission statement to the new defense commissioner, Von der Leyen told Kubilius to draft a paper on the future of European defense within 100 days that will ready capitals for the “most extreme military contingencies.”

There is also an order to work up concepts for a European air defense shield and cyber defense programs.

Kubilius was also told to build out the bloc’s military mobility corridors and work on aggregating demand for military gear among national militaries.

When von der Leyen first suggested the new job, some big countries like Poland and France were interested, but they dropped away when it became clear that the post will not be a core job.

A lot of what Kubilius will do comes down to expectations management.

Von der Leyen estimated in June that EU defense needs €500 billion over the next decade, but it's unclear where the money will come from. Countries like Germany and the Netherlands are strongly opposed to issuing common debt, as happened after the Covid pandemic. Money could also come from the EU's multi-year budget in what would spark a political battle.

News.Az