"What we invest in defense actually shows how we value defense. And for that past decade we haven't put a very high importance on it," said EU foreign representative Kaja Kallas when she presented the bloc's new defense strategy in Brussels on Wednesday. The Estonian diplomat said the world has not experienced such turbulent times since 1945, and that it was time to act.

The European Commission presented its strategy paper as a blueprint to bolstering the defense capabilities and readiness of the EU and its member states by 2030. According to the so-called paper, one of the main drivers for the initiative is Russian belligerence. "If Russia is allowed to achieve its goals in Ukraine, its territorial ambition will extend beyond," said the paper. "Russia will remain a fundamental threat to Europe's security for the foreseeable future, including its more aggressive nuclear posture and the positioning of nuclear weapons in Belarus."

But the strategy paper alone will not deter Russian President Vladimir Putin, said Andrius Kubilius, the EU's recently appointed and first-ever defense commissioner, meaning it's all the more important that the targets outlined in the paper are met. Kubilius warned that numerous European intelligence agencies have said it's likely Moscow will test........

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