Tanks, troops and space

What the report says

Al Jazeera’s video interview with European Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius says Europe is entering a period of rapid rearmament as it responds to the war in Ukraine and wider security concerns. In the conversation, Kubilius argues that the lessons from Ukraine are reshaping military planning across the continent and that Europe must treat drones, satellites and other space-based capabilities as central parts of future defence, alongside conventional forces.

According to the publisher’s summary, Kubilius calls for a major increase in European defence spending and warns that the continent should be prepared for the possibility of a Russian attack by 2030. He presents the issue as one of strategic urgency, saying Europe needs greater independence in defence rather than relying too heavily on others. The interview was published by Al Jazeera on 2 August 2026.

The broader context is that European governments have been reassessing military readiness since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Analysts and officials across the region have increasingly discussed drone warfare, missile defence, cyber capabilities and space assets as important elements of modern security. Kubilius’s remarks fit into that debate by highlighting how technological change is altering the balance between traditional battlefield equipment and newer systems.