(L-R) Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space; Yuriko Backes, Luxembourg's Minister of Defence;
Credit: MAE
On Tuesday 4 March 2025, Luxembourg's Minister of Defence, Yuriko Backes, travelled to Brussels (Belgium) for meetings with the European Commissioner for Defence and Space, Andrius Kubilius, and with the Chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Security and Defence, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann.
As reported by Luxembourg's Directorate of Defence, Minister Backes had a first bilateral meeting with European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius at the Berlaymont building in Brussels. The discussions focused on strengthening the European defence effort, as well as financing options, in particular through the White Paper on the Future of European Defence that Commissioner Kubilius will present in mid-March, together with the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas. They also discussed the expectations for the European Council taking place on Thursday 6 March 2025 and the importance of achieving a concrete result. Minister Backes expressed her support for the Commission's ambition.
In view of the threats Europe is facing, Minister Backes noted "the urgency of strengthening the EU's defence preparedness and of filling the identified European capability gaps."
Concerning the defence industrial and technological base and the European defence industrial strategy, Minister Backes stressed that "in our joint effort to strengthen the European defence industry, we must particularly ensure the participation of small and medium-sized enterprises, which play a crucial role in our supply chains and for the EU's innovation capacity."
Commissioner Kubilius and Minister Backes discussed the EU's relations with NATO and the United States. Minister Backes described recent statements by US administration officials as worrying, while stressing the importance of the transatlantic dimension for European and Euro-Atlantic security. They also discussed recent developments regarding Ukraine, with Minister Backes stressing the key role to be played by the EU, both as a participant in any potential negotiations and as a provider of support to Ukraine.
Luxembourg's Defence Minister welcomed recent developments in the European satellite communications project IRIS2, whose concession agreement with the SpaceRise consortium, led by SES, was signed in December 2024: "This project is of particular importance for Luxembourg. We are delighted to host one of the control centres and to participate directly in the project alongside our private industry."
In the European Parliament, discussions with Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann focused on the role of the European Parliament in strengthening European preparedness, the latest developments in the US, NATO-EU relations and the war in Ukraine.
Minister Backes also met with Luxembourg Member of the European Parliament (MEP), Charles Goerens, for an exchange on current European issues.
