EU Member States have increased their defence spending in recent years.

Omissions

• The claim is a directional statement ('increased'), not a quantified one; the sources confirm the direction but differ on magnitude depending on the indicator used (Eurostat COFOG vs. NATO/EDA definitions vs. national budgets).
• The MEP's framing that 'what has not changed is the speed and the fragmentation' is a qualitative/political assessment that cannot be verified as a statistical fact; the statistical claim of increased spending is what is confirmed.

Sources

• PrimaryEurostat — Government expenditure on defence (Statistics Explained)In 2024, 'defence' expenditure amounted to 1.5% of gross domestic product (GDP) for the EU and 1.4% of GDP for the euro area. As a share of total government expenditure... (Eurostat COFOG data show a rising trend in EU defence spending in recent years).
• PrimaryEuropean Council — EU defence in numbers (Consilium)A significant increase in defence spending is clearly visible between 2020 and 2026. 75.3%. rise in member states' defence expenditure between 2021 and 2026... In 2025, defence expenditure rose to 2.2% of EU member states' GDP, up from 1.9% in 2024. In 2026, it is expected to reach an estimated 2.4%.
• AcademicSIPRI — Global military spending rise (press release)Military spending in Europe (including Russia) rose by 17 per cent to $693 billion and was the main contributor to the global increase in 2024.
• SecondaryEPRS Think Tank — EU Member States' defence budgetsIn 2025, Member States reached an estimated €381 billion (2.1 % of GDP). All EU NATO Allies now spend more than the 2 % defence expenditure... Germany's defence spending rose by 23 % in real terms in 2024 and 18 % in 2025, bringing the 2025 budget to €95 billion, double its 2021 level.