Signal Exclusive-EU needs 'decisive change' in 'scale and pace' of defence investment, report says

Summary

The European Defence Agency's first annual Defence Readiness Report, seen by Reuters, was prepared for EU leaders. It says member states' current plans "do not seem to meet" the goal of closing gaps in air and missile defence, ground combat, naval forces, munition stockpiles and drones. The agency wrote that current momentum and increased investment do not yet translate into sufficiently deployable, sustainable and interoperable forces. Progress is described as "unprecedented, but not yet enough", and the bloc must move "further and substantially faster" to reach readiness by 2030. The report was commissioned by EU-27 leaders last year after Russia's invasion of Ukraine and concerns about Trump and NATO. EU defence ministers are expected to discuss it on Monday in Brussels before it goes to leaders.