Von der Leyen suggests using frozen Russian assets to buy ammunition for Ukraine. The European Commission seeks to strengthen its arms industry, which has been falling behind after years of disinvestment by member states.

Brussels is now finalizing a new defense strategy that, as this newspaper has anticipated, will support a joint purchasing center. The new strategy, which is being finalized by the High Representative for Foreign Policy and Security, Josep Borrell, and the Commissioner for the Interior, Thierry Breton, asks the Member States and the European Investment Bank to allow financing arms and ammunition companies.