— Ukraine has the strongest army in Europe, and perhaps in the world. It will be difficult to understand if we in Europe do not consider it as a key interest to integrate this best European, and perhaps global, military force of Ukraine with our European security system, Kubilius said.
He emphasized the need to discuss the future of European defense architecture in the face of the decreasing role of the United States.
— Russia still produces more than the European Union, which is very dangerous. This is a temptation for Putin. National parliaments should ask their governments: why are our defense industries not developing despite increasing funding? – argues Kubilius.
Andrius Kubilius, EU Defense Commissioner. Strasbourg, 29 April 2026Ronald Wittek/EPA/PAP
He gave the example of Ukraine, which has increased the scale of its defense production 50 times since 2022 — to the level currently achieved by the German or French defense industry in a year.
— There is fierce competition in Ukraine, market rules apply, and dynamic innovations are taking place in the defense sector. Meanwhile We do not have a common defense market in Europethere is a lack of competition, innovation and industrial development, Kubilius explained.
On May 14, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the Ukrainian army is the most powerful in Europe.
