EU’s 2028-2034 defence budget to exceed €200 billion, von der Leyen says

Military spending in the European Union’s 2028-2034 seven-year budget will exceed €200 billion, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said.

Von der Leyen made the remarks during the Defence Industry Forum held on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Ankara.

“The EU’s new multiannual budget will include €131 billion for defence capabilities and €71 billion for military mobility,” TASS quoted von der Leyen as saying. 

The military mobility allocation is intended for upgrading roads, bridges and tunnels to facilitate the transport of military cargo and heavy military equipment. She also referred to the European Union’s defence support programmes, which she said could mobilise up to €950 billion for the bloc’s defence needs by 2030.

The EU’s 2028-2034 multiannual budget will be the first in the bloc’s history to allocate such a significant level of funding to defence.