EU White Paper introduces Readiness 2030 framework to strengthen defence capabilities, investment, and broadening practical cooperation beyond the Union’s borders (Section 8).

On 19 March 2025, the European Commission published the White Paper for European Defence – Readiness 2030, outlining a strategic blueprint to significantly enhance the security and defence posture of the European Union through the end of this decade. The document defines Europe’s evolving strategic context, emphasizing that persistent geopolitical threats and underinvestment in defence require the Union to build credible deterrence and readiness in close cooperation with its allies, including NATO.

The Readiness 2030 White Paper identifies the urgent need for a once-in-a-generation surge in European defence investment to address capability shortfalls, strengthen the defence industrial base, and improve joint planning and procurement. It calls for coordinated action by EU Member States to close critical gaps in key areas such as ammunition supplies, drones, air defence systems, and secure communications, and proposes options for collaborative efforts that benefit from EU incentives for shared projects of common interest.

In Section 8 of the White Paper, the European Commission stresses that strengthening Europe’s security requires close cooperation with external partners, as the EU cannot address strategic challenges alone. While the focus remains on collective action by EU Member States, the document highlights cooperation with like-minded third countries, particularly through established frameworks with NATO and the United States, reflecting strong transatlantic defence ties. It also underlines the value of engaging partners whose industrial capacity, geopolitical position, and operational contributions can reinforce European security. In this context, Türkiye is identified as a key partner due to its strategic location linking Europe, the Middle East, and the Black Sea, its NATO membership, and its significant defence-industrial base, all of which support capability development and interoperability with EU and allied forces.

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