James Copnall, presenter of BBC Newsday, speaks to Andrius Kubilius, EU Commissioner for Defence and Space, about the need for Europe to be able to defend itself.

In an interview recorded before the Nato summit on 24/25 June 2025, Mr Kubilius, a former Prime Minister of Lithuania, says peace in Europe cannot be taken for granted and that Europe can no longer rely on American military backing. Therefore, defence readiness must be a priority, meaning increased spending commitments from Nato members, and a unified, quick and clear approach across Europe to building defence capabilities. This, he believes, is the only way to deter the threat of further Russian aggression.

But some Nato member states may struggle to meet the proposed increased spending target of 3.5% of GDP on defence. A few still haven’t met the current goal of 2%, set more than a decade ago. However, other European nations are already boosting spending to 5% including countries living in close proximity to Russia, such as Poland, Estonia and Lithuania.

Overall, Europe still only accounts for 30% of Nato's total military spending, a figure that has prompted US President Trump to demand a much greater contribution from European members.

Presenter: James Copnall

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(Image: Andrius Kubilius. Credit: John Thys/POOL/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)