The EU's defence commissioner Andrius Kubilius has urged member states to open their arms stockpiles to supply Ukraine, criticizing current European weapons production as too sophisticated and expensive. He argues that Europe should abandon its 'haute couture' approach to defence manufacturing in favor of cheaper, rapidly scalable systems that can match wartime demands.

Kubilius highlighted stark production disparities: Ukraine aims to produce 700 cruise missiles this year through its Flamingo program, compared to fewer than 300 from the EU and 1,200 from Russia. Ukraine could access €60bn in funding from a recently approved €90bn loan package to purchase weapons from EU stockpiles, with proceeds helping suppliers expand production capacity.

Brussels plans to unveil reforms in July targeting Europe's fragmented defence market, where national champions receive heavy protection. France and Germany reportedly source roughly 70% of their defence needs domestically, leaving only about 10% for cross-border sales within the EU. The proposed changes would streamline testing certification procedures and simplify transfer licensing for military components.

Kubilius endorsed consolidation efforts like Project Bromo, which combines Airbus, Thales and Leonardo to create a European space and satellite champion. He contends that scale and size are essential for global competitiveness, arguing that regulatory barriers have created a 'really closed system' that hampers effective defence industrial cooperation across Europe.