EU still reliant on US for defence as 2030 readiness goal faces challenges

The European Union could struggle to defend itself against a foreign invasion by 2030 because of its reliance on the United States and fragmented national defence systems, an official report has warned.

The European Court of Auditors said the EU is significantly better prepared than before Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, but major obstacles remain.

“Achieving defence preparedness in the EU by 2030 remains challenging,” Marek Opioła, an ECA member who led the review, said, according to the Guardian.

“There are still major difficulties such as fragmented national systems or industrial bottlenecks. We also still rely on the United States.”

EU countries increased defence spending by 79 percent between 2020 and 2025 as governments responded to Russia's invasion and sought to meet NATO spending targets.

However, auditors warned that limited cooperation between countries and fragmented defence industries could lead to duplicated spending while leaving gaps in military capabilities.

The EU has set a target of achieving defence readiness by 2030, including greater strategic autonomy and the ability to sustain high-intensity warfare independently.

Reliance on foreign weapons also remains significant. Between February 2022 and June 2023, 78 percent of EU countries' defence purchases came from outside the bloc, according to a study cited by the ECA. The US alone accounted for 63 percent.