Francken: “Europe has woken up. We must be able to defend ourselves”

Belgian Defence Minister Theo Francken says Europe is no longer naïve about the threats posed by Russia and China. In an interview with VTM News, he stressed that the war in Ukraine has served as a wake-up call for the continent — and that European nations must prepare to be ready for war within five years.

According to Minister Francken, it’s clear that Russia is waging a hybrid war against the West, combining cyberattacks with efforts to sow instability. “Russia doesn’t currently have the capacity to open a second front — for example, against the Baltics or Finland,” he said. “But they will continue to rely on drones, cyberattacks and disinformation.”

Belgium must prepare

Francken pointed out that, after years of underinvestment, Belgium is rebuilding its military capabilities. “For the first time in decades, we now have more than 30,000 active soldiers,” he said. “But we still need to scale up. New purchases and recruitment take time.”

The minister also announced that he is looking into whether new underground car parks could double as bomb shelters. “In Eastern Europe, that’s already mandatory,” he explained. “We’re now working on a resilience plan to reinforce underground parking structures so they can also serve as shelters, emergency hospitals or schools.”

F-35s and drones: “We need both”

When asked about Belgium’s purchase of F-35 fighter jets, Francken was firm: “A drone simply can’t do what an F-35 can. We absolutely need those aircraft.” At the same time, he announced additional investment in counter-drone systems and electronic warfare.

“The future lies in cooperation between F-35s and large drones, known as ‘loyal wingmen’,” he added. Francken said Defence is finalising a proposal to secure approval for new anti-drone capabilities within the next two weeks.

He also confirmed that over 80 to 90% of Belgium’s defence procurement is sourced from within Europe. “The F-35s get a lot of attention, but they only represent €1.5 billion out of a total of €34 billion in defence investments,” Francken noted. “The rest goes to land vehicles, ships, and European cooperation projects.”

Voluntary military service in the works

As for the possible return of mandatory military service, Francken said there is “no political consensus” on the issue. However, a voluntary one-year military service programme is being introduced. “Letters will be sent out in early November to all 17-year-olds,” he confirmed.