EU redirects civilian funds to military investment
Civilian spending budgets are being redirected by Europe to invest in defense funds.
According to RIA Novosti on November 6, the European Union (EU) Press Agency reported that the bloc has reached an agreement to redirect civilian budgets to defense spending.
"Denmark, which holds the rotating presidency of the European Council, and the European Parliament have reached a preliminary agreement on defense investment. This agreement will expand existing EU funds, which are usually used for civilian purposes, to defense. Ukraine will be linked to the European Defense Fund," the EU Press Service said.
A statement published on the EU Council website clarified that the agreement will increase funding for defense-related investments by amending the STEP, Horizon Europe, EDF, DEP and MIE programs to redirect funds.
The agreement reached today must be confirmed by the EU Council and the European Parliament before it can be formally adopted, the statement stressed.
In March 2025, the European Commission presented a new defense strategy called “Rearmament of Europe,” later renamed the less controversial “Readiness 2030.” The strategy envisages allocating around €800 billion to strengthen the defense of EU member states and arm Ukraine over the next four years.
In May 2025, the European Union agreed to create a SAFE lending facility to raise 150 billion euros for increased arms production. SAFE is seen as a “political manifesto” that clearly demonstrates the EU’s ambition for “strategic autonomy”, helping the bloc to be proactive in protecting its security interests in an increasingly uncertain world.
SAFE not only helps strengthen deterrence but also paves the way for deeper defense cooperation, towards building an effective and substantive “European defense union.”
In addition, some 650 billion euros are expected to be allocated from EU member states' budgets.
In a related development, Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov said that the US plans to deploy the Dark Eagle medium-range missile in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region, which can fly from Germany to central Russia in just 6-7 minutes. This missile could be put into service by the end of 2025.