European lawmakers have broadly adopted the report by ECR co-rapporteur Zdzisław Krasnodębski on the European Defence Industry Reinforcement through Common Procurement Act (EDIRPA), a short-term instrument earmarked with 300 million Euro and designed to encourage Member States to jointly procure defence products and help supply arms to Ukraine.
According to Prof Krasnodębski, the adoption of the trilogue outcome is an important step in the EU’s response to the Russian aggression on Ukraine:
“Our politics must be based on the lessons we have learned from Russia’s war against Ukraine, such as that Russia is not a partner but a threat. European elites have been largely deceived and corrupted by Russia for decades. It is time to draw the consequences,” stressed ECR’s MEP.
“We have to learn that Europe’s security can only be built in cooperation with the United States, not against it,” he added.
“We need to look more closely at how we support the European defence industry. You cannot be a major player in international politics without a strong industry and military capabilities. Without this base, you will not be taken seriously by malign powers,” concluded Prof Krasnodębski.
The legislation was adopted with 530 votes in favour, 66 against and 32 abstentions.
