Can Europe Defend Itself? Kubilius and European Defence Leaders Debate NATO, Russia and Ukraine
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Can Europe defend itself as the United States shifts more attention toward the Indo-Pacific and Russia continues to expand its military capabilities? At the Warsaw Security Forum 2026, European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius joined defence leaders from Norway, the Netherlands and Hungary for a wide-ranging debate on Europe’s military readiness, NATO, Ukraine and the future of European security. Kubilius argued that Europe must take much greater responsibility for its own conventional defence as global geopolitical priorities change. “Our need to build our defence capabilities is our own responsibility.” He said Europe needs a stronger European pillar within NATO, greater political unity and a less fragmented defence industry capable of producing weapons and strategic capabilities at scale. The panel also examined Europe’s dependence on the United States, defence spending, Russia’s military buildup, the Arctic, NATO’s eastern flank and lessons learned from Ukraine. Norway’s defence minister argued that Europe and Canada must spend more regardless of whether Washington reduces its role. “If you’re afraid that the US is going to leave NATO or if you want them to stay, the answer is the same: we need to spend more in Europe and Canada.” The discussion also turned to Europe’s defence industrial capacity, interoperability and the need to produce weapons faster and at greater scale. Kubilius highlighted Europe’s plans for its own secure satellite communications system, describing IRIS² as a potential European alternative to Starlink, while stressing the importance of developing European technological sovereignty. The central question remains: can Europe build the military, industrial and political capacity needed to defend itself while remaining firmly anchored in NATO? #eudebates #EuropeanDefence #NATO #AndriusKubilius #Ukraine
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