According to Politico, Brussels is currently looking into how European governments can have the same ease of selling weapons as Americans do. The European Union plans to increase military spending and reduce imports of weapons after the war in Ukraine. The European Parliament is working towards clarifying the changes that will occur as a result. By 2024, it is expected that the European Defense and Technological Industrial Base will be established to facilitate intra-Union weapon purchases, promoting EU defense and security technology.

The creation of Foreign Military Sales (FMS) is still in progress. FMS would allow management to make direct purchases from Washington, bypassing the European defense industry, and potentially speeding up the delivery of equipment by utilizing US government procurement contracts. Since the onset of the conflict, the US has covered 95% of the cost of European weapon purchases through FMS, totaling over $60 billion.

Harmonizing interests between Brussels, Washington, and other EU member countries has been more challenging for the FMS compared to the United States. These countries have differing approaches to security, making it difficult to find common ground. The document concerning FMS highlights Brussels’ desire to achieve the same military assistance that the US system provides through the US military, with the aim of establishing intergovernmental contracts as a norm in the international arena.

Sources: News.am