Building defence readiness for Europe and Norway

We now need Norway to help build European defence readiness by 2030 – the year that the intelligence services predict Putin will be ready and able to test NATO Article 5.

Russia is now going into its fifth year of brutal war. And the Americans made clear in the national defence strategy that they are focusing on the Indo-Pacific, and capacities used in that region cannot be used in Europe. The Americans expect Europeans to be responsible for their own conventional defence, which includes all European countries in NATO – both members and non-members of the European Union.

European defence readiness: EU and NATO

The goal of the European Union is to build European defence readiness by 2030. What does this mean for NATO and for Norway?

European defence readiness does not mean without NATO. It means a stronger Europe for a stronger NATO. NATO and the EU share common goals, common values, a common history, and common member states.

Most Member States of the European Union are also members of NATO. In fact – 96 per cent of the EU population is protected by NATO. And most NATO members are on the European continent.

Both NATO and the European Union are children of the Cold War, with the purpose of peace. The EU secures the peace between its Member States and NATO is there to deter and defend against aggression from external threats. First the Soviet Union and now Russia.

NATO and the EU share the same values: Freedom, democracy and the rule of law. At the same time, the difference is also clear.

NATO is a military alliance, the EU an economic and political union. NATO Member States can mobilise soldiers and armies, and the European Union can mobilise the production capacity of an entire continent by encouraging cooperation between Member States and between industries throughout Europe. NATO brings military capabilities; the EU brings production power.

The European defence readiness does not mean that the EU is in charge of defence. The Member States, and the NATO countries decide which capabilities they need. The EU supports with EU added value: European laws, European money, European scale and European Unity. All necessary ingredients for a stronger European pillar in NATO.

European defence readiness and NATO

We are at a decisive moment. If the Americans decide to move conventional resources from Europe because they need them elsewhere in the world, we will need our own capabilities to deter aggression and secure our freedom.

European defence readiness has three pillars. If one fails, all our defence readiness fails.

First pillar: Material defence readiness – weapons, equipment, troops.

Second pillar: Institutional defence readiness – a unified institutional framework to organise our defence on the European continent.

And third pillar: political defence readiness – the will to defend ourselves.

To start with the material defence readiness. Our main goals are to ramp up production, counter fragmentation, encourage innovation, build a more European defence industry, and support Ukraine.

Norway shows the way forward in supporting Ukraine, with 6.3 billion euros set aside from the Nansen fund for military support in 2026, including the innovation initiative Brave-Norway. Norway helps Ukraine develop new technology and acquire the means to protect itself. One of the most important assets to protect Ukraine’s skies is, in fact, Norway’s NASAMS air defence system.

Norway has a long tradition of international armament cooperation. The Norwegian procurement of the German 212 submarine is a hallmark in this regard, in which both nations have committed to procuring identical platforms, also using Norwegian technology and industry.

Another important example is Norway’s participation in building European strategic enablers within NATO. The joint procurement and operation of Airbus air-to air refuelling aircraft. Because of the American policy shift, we now urgently need these capabilities in Europe.

Norway is already an important partner in EU programmes. For example, the European Defence Fund for research and development, in which 54 Norwegian companies participate in 70 of 225 cross-border projects and receive about 150 million euros in EU support. Interest among Norwegian stakeholders is increasing, and in January 2026, over 400 participants attended the Nordic EDF Info days held in Norway.

Norwegian companies also contributed significantly to the success of the ASAP programme for the ammunition ramp-up. Norway was among the top beneficiaries, including companies such as Nammo for ammunition, Chemring Nobel as a market leader in explosives, and the missile producer Kongsberg Group.

Norway also took part on equal footing in the successful EDIRPA programme for joint procurement.

Feedback from our partners suggests that these EU programmes help integrate the Norwegian defence industry into the European Defence Industrial base and encourage strong business-to-business cooperation.

The coming big bang in defence production

But this is only the beginning. We are now building on these successes to create a ‘big bang’ in defence production.

In 2025, the European Union created massive financial possibilities for defence. We now have 150 billion euros available in loans backed by the European budget under the SAFE (Security Action for Europe). A 60 billion defence loan for Ukraine is coming up. We’re proposing 131 billion euros for defence and space in the next European budget. And EU Member States will spend 6.8 trillion euros on defence by 2035, if they fulfil their NATO pledges.

Norway is the EU’s closest partner in security and defence, and as such, SAFE loans can be used for Norwegian defence products and technology. Ukraine could use its 60 billion defence loan to purchase from Norway, as it’s built on a cascading principle that favours procurement first from Ukraine and the EEA (EØS)/EFTA countries.

Preparations are ongoing for Norway to take part in EDIP – the new European Defence Industrial Program. Which offers 1.2 billion euros in grants for defence and, more importantly, new legal possibilities for building pan–European defence projects. Like European Defence Projects of Common Interest (EDPCIs), and the Structure of European Armament Program (SEAP).

The challenge right now is to ensure defence production takes off as planned and in a unified way.

Spending more on its own is not enough. It will only lead to more fragmentation if we do not also spend European. I am therefore calling on Member States to take the lead and use the possibilities we created to spend together, and to take the initiative to build flagship defence projects that protect an entire continent – but that no Member State can build alone. For example, projects on drones, air defence, the maritime domain and space, and the protection of the eastern border.

If the industry does not ramp up its production capacity, we will not be ready to increase production. That’s why I am calling on industry to rapidly expand its production lines, and on EU Member States and Norway to reduce risks for industry by providing long-term contracts.

European Defence Union

I expect Norway to make a major contribution to Europe’s material defence readiness, delivering key high-tech capabilities in areas such as air defence, soldiers’ equipment, ammunition and missiles, underwater technology, and encryption.

The EU-Norway cooperation on defence production is excellent, but it would be good to think through how we can work together even better. Which brings me to institutional defence readiness.

Part of my task as Commissioner is to take initiative towards a European Defence Union. To better unite and organise our defence on the European continent, and again, not as an alternative to NATO, but to support Member States’ militaries and support NATO. We now need to discuss the tasks and goals of the European Defence Union, and how to best organise this support.

One of the questions we need to answer is what the relationship will be with our friends and partners outside of the EU?

In my view, the European Defence Union should be there to protect the entire European continent – not to replace NATO, but to take over key responsibilities as America expects. Strategic partners such as the United Kingdom, Ukraine and Norway will play an important role in shaping a future European Defence Union and, hopefully, be part of it.

Finally, political defence readiness. If day X comes, will we be willing to defend not only ourselves, but also each other? I am certain we will.

I know as key partners and friends, the European Union and Norway will continue to work together and grow stronger in our defence.

The more and better we work together in Europe, the more our preparedness will grow to deter as Europe, defend as Europe and if need be, to fight as Europe.

This is how we can prevent Putin from testing us, prevent war and preserve peace.

Andrius Kubilius is the former Prime Minister of Lithuania and the EU’s first defence commissioner. He entered his new position in 2024. His task is to help ensure that when it comes to defence, Europe spends more, spends better and spends European.