Security: Costa – “Europe of Defense needs the EIB”

Brussels – As the leaders of the 27 arrive in Brussels to discuss the future of Ukraine and continental defense, the issue of funding and resources for EU security is at center stage. European Council President Antonio Costa addresses the European Investment Bank (EIB), aware of the need to mobilize resources quickly to make the European rearmament projects credible.

“We need to view today’s geopolitical changes as a great opportunity to build the Europe of Defense. The EIB will be important in this,” the president said, responding with a video message to the invitation to travel to Luxembourg today (March 6) for the EIB forum. In line with the clear will of Bank President Nadia Calviño to invest in all key areas of security (from infrastructure to cybersecurity, from equipment to space), Costa says that after the Digital and Green Transition, defense must become “as soon as possible” a new and central “transversal goal” of the Luxembourg-based bank.

According to Antonio Costa, the competitiveness and the strategic autonomy agendas “go hand in hand,” especially in the technology, energy, and infrastructure sectors. “We all know of our innovation gap, of our productivity gap, of our investment gap. For this reason, we must make life easier for our entrepreneurs without giving up on the green and inclusive transition for integrating our capital markets and mobilizing European savings for productive investments.” Nadia Calviño, on Tuesday (March 4), sent a letter to all leaders gathered today to emphasize the determination of the European Investment Bank in the direction of European defense.