State Secretary: US and the EU need to share knowledge more generously.
Netherlands State Secretary for Defence Christophe van der Maat was in Washington today for the NL - US Defense and Space Industry Day. In his speech, he said that the Russian invasion of Ukraine was a rude awakening and had made clear what is going well within NATO and the EU, but also what is not. He went on to say that NATO’s principles of collective defence and solidarity had passed this stress test with flying colours, but that it is vital that NATO and the EU address the shortcomings that have come to light, remarking that “Europe really needs to pull its own weight.”
Van der Maat was in the United States to discuss cooperation in relation to systems and equipment with government officials and manufacturers. One of those shortcomings was the fact that Europe has too little military and industrial sustainment capability. “For example, we are too dependent on third parties for the production of capital ammunition such as Patriot missiles, or guided Excalibur shells for the self-propelled howitzer. Europe needs to become more self-reliant. But in order to achieve this, we need the help of the United States. In particular with regard to the authorisation to produce certain products on the basis of licensing.”
Importance of speed
The state secretary also spoke about the importance of speed. “If we can’t pick up the pace, Europe will fall behind and face impossible delays. [...] it is also up to our industrial partners to overcome the internal barriers in the security supply chain.” This should be the shared responsibility of governments and industry, said the state secretary, before pledging his commitment to this cause.
In addition, Europe needs to become stronger and more self-reliant in the field of innovation. Van der Maat: “This is something we are investing heavily in. In terms of production capacity and the ability to innovate, it is fair to say that if Europe becomes stronger, the US will benefit as well. You make more of an impression on the world stage with a strong ally by your side.”
Strategic allies
The state secretary pointed out to his audience that in Ukraine, in addition to the moral component of standing together with people who are fighting for the same values as ours, technology makes the difference. “European countries and businesses within Europe, but also those with business relations with the United States must realise that first and foremost we are strategic allies. And that only by utilising the potential of our joint ability to innovate do we stand a chance of catching up, for instance with China in the field of artificial intelligence. This is why countries need to better align their markets and means, and need to be more generous in terms of sharing knowledge, technology and products with each other.”
According to the state secretary, the Netherlands has a lot to offer in this respect. “Owing to our geographical location and our tradition as a sea-faring trading nation, we are fully focused on international cooperation. Historically, we have a strong and innovative maritime sector. But these days, Dutch industry has also become a key player in several niche fields within the aviation and aerospace industries.”