As geopolitical tensions rise, the EU prepares for war by stockpiling key minerals and nuclear fuel…

In view of the increasing rampant hacking, cybercrime and sabotage by government-sponsored organizations, the European Commission has drafted a response plan to stockpile key minerals and cable repair modules for emergency use. It is reported that the EU is also more vulnerable to the effects of climate change than other regions, and Europe is warming at twice the global average.

The Financial Times (FT) reported that the draft document of the Commission reads: “The EU faces an increasingly complex and worsening risk situation with rising geopolitical tensions, including conflicts, increasing impacts of climate change, environmental degradation, and hybrid threats and cyber threats.”

In recent years, there have been several suspected sabotage incidents of submarine communication cables and natural gas pipelines in Europe. The Commission called on member states to coordinate the reserve of food, medicine and even nuclear fuel, and will accelerate the reserve of important materials at the EU level, such as cable repair modules “to ensure rapid recovery in the event of damage to energy or fiber optic cables”, as well as commodities such as rare earths and permanent magnets necessary for energy and defense systems.

The latest strategy is part of the EU’s plan to strengthen the security and resilience of the 27 countries in the region. The draft document is scheduled to be officially released next week. The new EU budget, due to be presented later this month, will also include proposals to assess the need for investment in stockpiling critical supplies.

The Commission said it would establish a “reserve network” to improve coordination among EU member states and build consensus on which supplies are needed to improve crisis preparedness; and share warehouses with NATO allies to coordinate the management of resources and dual-use military and civilian infrastructure.

The EU currently has emergency reserves for natural disasters, maintains a firefighting fleet consisting of aircraft and helicopters, as well as field hospitals and critical medical supplies to prepare for emergency response in the event of a natural disaster.

The Commission published the “EU Preparedness Alliance Strategy” in March this year, which regularly compiles and updates a list of critical supplies reserves based on local conditions and types of crises, and encourages private enterprises to help build reserves through tax deductions and other means. The Commission also recommends that every household prepare an emergency shelter kit containing items to support at least 72 hours of survival needs.