According to Dr Šedivý, Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has highlighted the necessity for the EU to strengthen Europe’s Defence Technological and Industrial Base (EDTIB). A resilient and competitive EDTIB is a precondition for being able to develop and produce the capabilities that Member States and the EU’s partners require for their defence and security. Since February 2022, the EU has launched several major initiatives to boost the EDTIB and address defence gaps, especially ammunition stocks. Going forward, European defence spending needs to remain at the same, relatively high level if the EDTIB and Member States’ armed forces are to be fit for purpose and if Europe is to have the capabilities that it needs to address both current and future challenges. About the Speaker: Jiří Šedivý is the Chief Executive of the European Defence Agency, a position which he has held since 2020. Previously, Dr Šedivý served as Defence Minister of the Czech Republic (2006-2007), Deputy Defence Minister (2010-2012), NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defence Policy and Planning (2007-2010), and Permanent Representative of the Czech Republic to NATO (2012-2019). He was also the Czech Special Representative for Resilience and New Threats at the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs (2019-2020). Dr Šedivý is a graduate of Charles University, Prague where he completed a PhD in Political Science and of King’s College London where he earned an MA in War Studies.