A stronger and more coordinated defense-industrial base would boost Ukraine and deter future aggression.
The Editorial Board publishes the views of the editors across a range of national and global affairs.
More supply needed.
Photographer: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP
As the war in Ukraine drags on, the challenge of meeting the country’s battlefield needs has become more pressing. Stocks of key Western weapons systems are running low — particularly in Europe, where efforts to replenish them are hampered by a creaking defense-industrial base. Failing to address those vulnerabilities will not only jeopardize Ukraine’s prospects but undermine the security of Europe as a whole.
With the US initially providing the bulk of military assistance to Ukraine, the EU has had to scramble to keep up. It allocated €1 billion from the European Peace Facility to reimburse member states that donated to Ukraine from their stockpiles and spent another €1 billion to support joint weapons procurement. It also came up with €500 million in financing to ramp up manufacturing capacity.
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