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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Jennifer Rankin in Brussels

EU’s ability to defend against invasion remains in doubt, finds official report

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Donald Trump shake hands while seated.
The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, and Donald Trump. EU countries’ purchase of US hardware went up after invasion of Ukraine. Photograph: Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters

The EU’s ability to respond to a foreign invasion by 2030 remains in doubt due to a continuing reliance on the US and fragmented national defence systems, according to a report from its official auditor.

The European court of auditors (ECA) said the EU was much better prepared than before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine of 2022, but achieving its goal of defence readiness by the end of the decade would be difficult.

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