"We have been stunned. I think all of us have been stunned by the weakness and the holes in our industrial production when it comes to defense," Risch said alongside several European leaders during the NATO summit in Washington.
Earlier this week, Polish First Deputy Prime Minister of National Defense Wladyslaw Kosiniak also echoed the senator's statement, underscoring that a great need exists for European Union member states to finance efforts to bolster the region’s defense industry.
A high global demand for military equipment is becoming increasingly difficult to provide in a timely manner, making it necessary to enhance collaboration within the defense industry, Kosniak said.
However, the Polish minister pointed out that collaboration among defense firms in different countries may face temporary roadblocks emerging from differing national regulations, varying defense budgets, technological gaps and insufficient production capacity.