OMM Redaksiyası
US Ambassador to the European Union Andrew Puzder has warned that the bloc’s push to prioritize European-made weapons could fragment the transatlantic defense industrial base, Anadolu Agency reported.
Speaking at Euronews’ Defense and Space Summit in Brussels on Wednesday, Puzder said military capability and equipment availability should take precedence over where defense systems are produced.
“Only our enemies benefit when we lose focus on making sure we have the most effective weapons, supporting our mutual defense,” he said.
“One attack by a powerful adversary on a member state, and we’ll all be glad that we focused on weapon superiority rather than regional economics,” Puzder added.
Capability should come before geography, envoy says
The ambassador stressed that “when lives are at stake, capability and availability should determine the solution, not geography.”
The European Commission and EU member states have been advancing proposals to strengthen the bloc’s defense industry and reduce reliance on weapons made in the United States.
The initiative has divided EU members, with some governments warning against protectionist measures and emphasizing the importance of access to US defense capabilities.
EU countries may still buy US weapons
Puzder said the European Commission had indicated that it did not intend to prevent EU member states from using national funds to purchase US weapons systems.
He said the objective should be “an alliance which faces our adversaries with unity and strength rather than division and self-interest.”
