EU Eyes €2 Trillion Budget to Escape U.S.-China Dependence

Commission President von der Leyen is pushing for a €2 trillion EU budget to boost European strategic independence from the U.S. and China. The proposal arrives as Germany and other member states are pressuring for significant spending cuts, creating a tension between ambition and fiscal restraint across the bloc.

Byte's take

Europe wants to buy its independence, but Berlin wants to count the cost first. Von der Leyen's €2 trillion budget push aims to fund EU tech and defence autonomy, yet Germany's fiscally conservative coalition threatens to block the ambition the bloc claims it needs.