Europe is facing a historic moment. In the last weeks, a decade’s worth has happened when it comes to European security. In these turbulent times, it is crucial for Europe to step up united. The European People’s Party is willing to take strong leadership and enact bold measures to seize our future into our own hands. Europe must take responsibility for its own security and fate. This requires immediate action in the short term, but also concrete and ambitious steps aimed at the longer term. The time to act is now. Strong and lasting support for Ukraine The European People’s Party’s stance is clear: Ukraine is one of us. Ukraine’s place is in the European Union. The security of Ukraine, preserving its sovereignty and territorial integrity and achieving a just and lasting peace is a matter of European security. We are fully committed to supporting Ukraine, now and in future. Russia remains a permanent threat for the whole of Europe. To counter it, Europe needs to continue applying pressure and strive to ensure that a possible peace deal does not allow Russia to attack any European country again. It is time to act on the Russian frozen assets. The EPP is in favour of upholding and strengthening sanctions against Russia, including by taking measures against the Russian Shadow Fleet on the Baltic Sea and the Black Sea. This adds to ensuring that Ukraine has the strongest position possible in peace negotiations. Still, it remains clear that Europe needs to strengthen its support to Ukraine to achieve a lasting and just peace. That is why the EPP calls on member states to intensify their arms deliveries to aid Ukrainian defence efforts, as far as the national security and defence policies of Member States allow. Joint procurement and investments in the defence industry also allow us to increase military material support to Ukraine. A strong Ukrainian army is the foundation of a secure Europe. Ukraine is our first line of defence. The EPP is equally committed to support Ukraine in its reconstruction. This means for example strengthening all existing tools, such as the Ukraine Facility, by frontloading it and opening the possibility for third countries to participate in it. Securing Europe’s Future: The Vision for Defence Leadership Besides immediate short-term priorities and action, such as ReArm Europe, increased support for Ukraine and more sanctions on Russia, the European People’s Party believes that the EU needs a vision where longer-term priorities for securing Europe’s future are addressed. The EPP’s vision is that within 5 years, Europe must be ready to defend itself. Europeans expect the EPP to be in the driver’s seat. Our goal is simple: Europe needs to have the ability to deter aggressors and defend Europe on all fronts, to take leadership and act rapidly on questions of security, and to produce defence equipment for its own needs while being open to transatlantic defence industrial cooperation on an equal footing. This is our definition of strategic autonomy. The EPP acknowledges that strengthening European defence is not possible without a strong and diverse defence industry. We strongly advocate for European investments in the European defence industry, including new investments with the use of the EU budget. We believe that this would make the whole of Europe safer and the European defence industry more effective for the European needs and more competitive in global markets. Production capabilities of the European defence industry should quickly increase and be allocated in all EU Member States, including countries at the EU’s Eastern border. We moreover emphasise the role of regional defence industrial ecosystems in strengthening the European Defence Technological and Industrial Basis (EDTIB) and supporting SMEs, universities, and research centres that create jobs and prosperity and can contribute to specialisation and reduced fragmentation. We need a shared understanding of Europe's defence and capability priorities. The EPP recognises that these priorities are aligned in the White Paper on European Defence and considers it important to have strong ground combat capabilities, air and missile defence, as well as to close the gaps in the European defence industry's production of strategic capabilities, such as missile systems, strategic airlift, satellite communication, command and control, and intelligence. This needs to be supported by preparedness, security of supply (including stockpiling), protection of critical infrastructure and military mobility, as well as by strengthening border security and maritime control in the Mediterranean, addressing hybrid threats and migration-related security challenges, as well as by developing dual-use goods and future technologies such as drones and AI, thereby enhancing public-private collaboration and greater efforts on creating multiplier effects. We have to finalise EDIP for common procurement and work on a common export framework for military goods. Where we can identify a clear European added value, we should make investments such as the East Shield and the Baltic Defence line together as European flagship projects in the EU framework. While we are strengthening our own defence, the alliance and cooperation with the US remains extremely important, as does coordination with NATO, both in the development of capabilities and in the exchange of classified information. The EPP recognises that the US security priorities have changed due to challenges in other regions, requiring Europe to take full responsibility for its own defence. Cooperation with non-EU countries in Europe will contribute to these efforts, provided that such cooperation initiatives will not be incompatible with security concerns of any EU member state. Article 42 (7) of the EU Treaty illustrates our clear will of solidarity. We must bring this alive. The French proposal to offer their nuclear capabilities as a tool to protect the whole European Union is welcomed and should be further discussed. The EPP strongly supports strengthening the security and defence of the EU external borders, to the benefit of Europe as a whole. Reinforcing the EU’s eastern line of defence that is most exposed to threats posed by Russia and Belarus, is a fundamental prerequisite for the security of all of Europe. EPP says yes to ReArm Europe The European People’s Party is in favour of the recently introduced ReArm Europe plan. This is a good start. More concrete steps need to be taken. The common market for defence needs to be fully implemented limiting national exceptions. That should be accompanied by efforts to translate NATO standards into EU legislation and a pan-European certification scheme for defence systems in order to improve interoperability and efficiency. EU legislation governing defence procurement needs to be adapted to allow for flexible and faster procedures in crisis situations. The European Investment Bank’s mandate must be broadened to finance increased defence investments beyond dual-use. The Capital Markets Union’s full potential needs to be unleashed to mobilise private capital, the taxonomy regulation must be reviewed to support military investments. Joint procurement must be used ambitiously, not just in the context of ReArm Europe, but in a wider framework that includes cross-border projects as well, to bring economies of scale in defence procurement and improve the interoperability of European armed forces. Regulation that slows down the defence industry, must be streamlined or removed to increase efficiency and speed. National defence spending targets should be increased to match the necessary increase in NATO’s member-state spending target. The long-standing commitment to invest 2% of GDP must be met as soon as possible through national funding. Defence investment is a commitment that requires multiannual planning approved by national parliaments and reporting to the European Commission in the multiannual budget plan. The European People’s Party understands that developing a credible and less dependent European defence industry requires additional financial tools. Given the existential nature of Europe’s defence challenges, this can be achieved, for instance, through joint debt instruments if needed, as long as they are clearly focused on strengthening European defence, particularly in the areas where the threat is currently most acute. Europe must make a long-term commitment to ensuring sufficient funding for defence within the EU budget. Defence has to be a top priority for EU spending over the next decade, including in the 2028-2034 EU budget. Decisive and united decision-making For Europe to be able to act in a more challenging international environment, we need to be able to reach decisions even more quickly and more decisively, especially in strategically important questions. Therefore, the European People’s Party advocates the review of the decision-making process on questions of foreign affairs and security. This would ensure a stronger geopolitical position for Europe and an ability to manoeuvre, thus improving our security and increasing our influence. In this context, any cooperation with external partners in matters of security and foreign policy must fully consider the sensitivities of all member states and be firmly grounded in respect for their sovereignty, security and territorial integrity. Upholding EU law, values, and principles is a fundamental prerequisite for establishing meaningful partnerships that contribute to a strategically autonomous European security architecture. On the Cyprus question The EPP welcomes the informal extended meeting convened by the UNSG on 18 March 2025 in Geneva, aimed at paving the way for the resumption of negotiations on the Cyprus problem, firmly within the agreed UN framework, the only framework accepted by the EU and the international community, and in line with EU law, values, and principles. We applaud the committed efforts of President Christodoulides which led - for the first time since 2017 - to positive developments. The reunification of Cyprus is a priority for the EU, which stands ready to step up, and assume an active role in supporting the UN-led process with all tools at its disposal. The reunification of Cyprus will be catalytic for EU-Turkey relations and for the broader region.