Watch: ‘Should Malta Not Be Able To Patrol Its Shores?’ MEP Explains Difference Between Defence Spending Locally And Internationally
MEP Peter Agius outlined the important difference between defence spending locally and internationally: the former doesn’t violate Malta’s neutrality while the latter does.
Speaking to Lovin Malta in Brussels, Agius explained that Malta shouldn’t be left behind when it comes to investing in defence, because a stronger military will only “reinforce” the country.
“Malta should be able to keep up with the latest developments in military technology and equipment. This gives the country the capacity to defend itself.”
This comes after EU member states unanimously voted in favour of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s proposal to spend €800 billion on defence. Prior to the vote, Prime Minister Robert Abela was critical of this proposal, saying the focus should be on international peace and the livelihood of citizens. However, Malta voted in favour of the plan nonetheless.
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Afterwards, Abela assured that Malta’s money will not be spent on wars beyond our shores. He further doubled down on his criticism of the EU’s financial plan, saying “We want to invest not in weapons but in social measures, health, education, and renewable energy,” he said.
In the meantime, Brussels has been undergoing months of discussions on making the EU more autonomous and self-sufficient. A big part of this is ensuring that member states have adequate military capabilities without external help, particularly that of the United States.
This was expected after the election and inauguration of US President Donald Trump who has shared isolationist sentiments and has been vocally critical of Europe’s defence spending in NATO. His approach toward the Russia-Ukraine conflict has also raised alarms within Europe as the US position has become a lot more sympathetic towards Russia. Considering that this war is ongoing on Europe’s borders, it is important that the EU is armed and ready – clearly, it cannot rely on the US for this as much as it has historically done.
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