Spain, Italy, and France reject EU rearmament plan

Authorities in Spain, Italy, and France are rejecting European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s plan to rearm Europe, Politico writes, citing its sources.

According to the publication, these countries “are refusing the European Commission’s plan to increase defense spending through loans, fearing an additional burden on an already heavy debt.”

A senior EU diplomat stated that some countries have serious doubts about the feasibility of the plan and are trying to avoid further increases in debt. “The deadlock could disrupt Brussels’ plans to send more weapons from Europe to Ukraine,” Politico writes.

Von der Leyen had previously presented a plan to rearm the EU amounting to €800 billion, aiming for EU countries to take on up to €150 billion in debt for defense. The European Commission would seek to raise this amount from capital markets and then provide it to states in the form of loans, on the condition that they purchase weapons together from Europe. According to Brussels’ plans, part of these funds could be directed toward weapons production for Ukraine.