EU Defence Commissioner Andrius Kubilius has proposed a €500 billion “European Defence Union” to replace withdrawing US military assets and deter a combat-hardened Russia. Speaking in Brussels, Kubilius warned that Europe’s highly fragmented military structure leaves the continent vulnerable as Russia continues to outpace the EU in weapons manufacturing. To urgently strengthen the continent’s security architecture, he suggested forming a unified alliance that extends beyond current EU borders to include Ukraine, the UK, Norway, Türkiye, and Canada. By boosting national defense spending to 3.5 percent of GDP by 2035, Kubilius believes member nations can jointly finance this massive strategic shift and establish a dedicated European Security Council.