Marek Opioła, a member of the European Court of Auditors (ECA) who led a review of the EU's defense policy, stated on Thursday that achieving defense preparedness in the EU by 2030 remains challenging due to fragmented national systems and industrial bottlenecks. ^[1] The European Court of Auditors (ECA) reported that the European Union is better prepared for potential military threats than before the Russian invasion of Ukraine, but achieving full defense readiness by 2030 remains difficult. ^[2] The European Court of Auditors concluded in a new report that the EU is challenged in meeting its goal of being defense-ready by 2030. ^[3] Between 2020 and 2025, EU member states increased defense spending by 79% as a response to the Russian threat and an effort to meet Nato spending targets. ^[4] Between February 2022 and June 2023, 78% of EU governments' defense acquisitions were sourced outside the bloc, with the US alone representing 63%. ^[5] Defense spending by EU member states increased by 79% between 2020 and 2025, driven by deteriorating security situations in Europe and pressure to meet NATO targets. ^[6] Marek Opioła stated that the European Union continues to rely heavily on the United States for defense capabilities. ^[7] The European Court of Auditors noted that 78% of member states' defense acquisitions between February 2022 and June 2023 originated outside the EU, with the United States accounting for 63% of the total. ^[8] The report identifies years of underinvestment as the cause for insufficient ammunition and missile stocks, long production times, and logistical bottlenecks. ^[9] Strategic partnerships with Ukraine are identified as a potential way to achieve the 2030 defense readiness goal. ^[10]