European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed no fundamental objection to purchasing weapons from the United States, despite the policy shift under President Donald Trump, according to an interview with the German weekly newspaper Die Zeit.
Von der Leyen affirmed in the article published on Tuesday that US weapons, which could be technically disabled from Washington, could still be purchased. She added that she personally advocates for increased production within Europe.
Currently, the majority of military materiel purchased by EU member states originates from outside Europe, said the CDU politician. This situation, she noted, also results in the creation of good jobs, research and development in those regions.
Von der Leyen expressed her desire for more production to occur within Europe in the future, which could include US companies developing and producing in Europe. She emphasized the importance of ensuring that the billions the EU is investing has a positive impact on the European economy.
The EU plans to significantly rearm, with recent agreements by leaders on various measures proposed by the European Commission.
These measures include EU loans amounting to €150 billion ($169 billion) and an exemption for defence spending from the EU debt rules. Over the next four years, a total of €800 billion is to be mobilized.