The invasion of Ukraine by the Russian military has become, besides a tragedy to the people, fertiliser for a growing complexity of threats facing Europe. A need for investments in a security framework with the cooperation of NATO and the Member States is prioritised for action. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, announced on Tuesday (17 September) that Lithuania’s Andrius Kubilius will be appointed as the first European Commissioner for Defence and Space. Kubilius brings significant political experience to the role, having served as Prime Minister of Lithuania twice (1999-2000 and 2008-2012) and as a Member of the European Parliament since 2019. Kubilius’ priorities will revolve around establishing a “true European Defence Union” while overseeing the EU’s space portfolio, which must reflect its increasing links with the security and defence industry.
Defence
In the first 100 days of this new mandate, Kubilius will work closely with the High Representative/Vice-President, Kaja Kallas, to present the White Paper on the Future of European Defence, framing a new strategy and identifying areas that benefit from investment. This presentation will contribute to a shared vision across the Commission, the Council, Parliament, the public and other stakeholders, drawing on the work of the Niinistö report, enhancing Europe’s civilian and military preparedness, and the recent Draghi report calling for an increase in the aggregation of demand for defence products.
Kubilius will work to strengthen military mobility by removing barriers to cross-border cooperation and creating a “Single Market for Defence” enhancing production capacity, fostering joint procurement of European equipment, and beginning to integrate SMEs into the defence supply chain. Beyond this, Kubilius will lead work on proposing and implementing a plethora of Defence Projects of Common European Interest and policies like a European Air Shield, the European Defence Industrial Strategy, the European Defence Industry Programme, the European Defence Fund, the European Defence Industry Reinforcement through Common Procurement Act (EDIRPA), and the Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP).
Space
Regarding the space industry, Kubilius has been tasked with maintaining the EU’s reliable and cost-effective communications and access to space. He will be responsible for managing the EU’s satellite programmes, Copernicus and Galileo, along with establishing the EU’s new secure satellite constellation dubbed IRIS. Leading the work on space policy, Kubilius will continue the implementation of the EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence while proposing an EU Space Law to introduce common EU standards and rules for space activities and a Space Data Economic Strategy tapping into the potential of data, products and technology derived from space-related research.
Conclusions
While Member States will retain full autonomy over their military doctrines, from legislation to deployment, Kubilius will support the European defence and space industries. His approach will be guided by one principle at the foundation of his work: “Europe must spend more, spend better, spend European.”
To conclude, the appointment of Andrius Kubilius as European Commissioner for Defence and Space marks a significant step towards strengthening Europe’s security and technological capabilities. With a comprehensive agenda spanning defence cooperation, industry development, and space initiatives, Kubilius faces the difficult challenge of navigating complex geopolitical landscapes while fostering innovation and collaboration. Moreover, selecting a Lithuanian for this critical role sends a clear message to Kyiv and Moscow, reaffirming the European Union’ steadfast commitment to supporting Ukraine in the ongoing conflict.
