Frans Timmermans: More money to Defense, because Europe stands for ‘existential struggle’

The European Union must spend more money on Defense to compensate for the increasing Russian threat and the falling role of the United States. GroenLinks-PvdA leader Frans Timmermans said this on Monday evening on the first Mathieu Segers-Lezing in The Hague. It is remarkable that Timmermans argues that the European Union ‘purchases’ in large companies that make weapons.

Timmermans said that this “prevents fragmentation and ensures that arms manufacturers do not become the winners of the war.” Purchasing in large companies must be paid with European loans. “The pace of investing must be raised. That can not only come from the market, but also from public money. That is just smart to do, even when the debts rise. ”

Gloom

In his lecture, Timmermans, who was a European Commissioner for nine years in Brussels, outlined a bleak picture of the global relationships and the “existential struggle” of the European Union. According to Timmermans, the Pax Americana is under pressure. This ‘American peace’ means a world order in which the United States have dominated since the end of the Second World War. “Now that even the US has opted for power above right, it is diving away or hiding until the weather is spreading is not an option. Certainly not for the European Union. ” If Donald Trumps principle of ‘power for right’ becomes dominant in international politics, the EU will ‘crumble’, Timmermans predicts.

When he was asked afterwards why he wanted to make weapons manufacturers ‘state-owned companies’, Timmermans replied: “If the pressure is enormous to increase defense expenses, then companies can also increase the price endlessly.”

Moreover, Timmermans said, the US is already doing this. “Don’t be naive. American defense companies are partly run by the state, even if they are listed. Every year billions, supposedly for innovation, go to these companies. It is not an industry like all other industries. ”

Our safety also benefits from decent social editions

Vulnerability

NATO-Secretary General and former Prime Minister Mark Rutte, following Donald Trump, argues for higher defense kisses from the European member states. Now many countries do not reach the NATO standard of 2 percent of their gross domestic product. The Netherlands has been doing this since 2023. Last month, Rutte said that countries should spend 3.6 to 3.7 percent of their GDP on defense, which should be at the expense of social security, for example.

Frans Timmermans said on Monday that extra money for the Ministry of Defense should not lead to a cut at other posts. “The vulnerability of our society for Russian intervention is not immediately military, but is much more in the dropping of people because they no longer have essential facilities. You get more tanks, but also a society where people trust the government even less. Our safety also benefits from decent social editions. ”

Writer, professor and podcast maker Mathieu Segers, who died in 2023, was committed to the debate about Europe. This annual lecture, of which Timmermans gave the first, is a tribute to his work.

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