Europe’s surge in defence spending must also fund “disruptive” technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum computing that can have military applications, the EU’s tech chief has said.

Russia’s war against Ukraine and US President Donald Trump’s oscillating support for defending the continent have prompted a historic increase in military expenditure and investment in the arms industry. Some 10 per cent of that funding should be funnelled to nascent technologies developed in the EU, according to the bloc’s technology and security commissioner Henna Virkkunen.

“It’s very important for the European Union to be sure that?.?.?.?our defence industry is competitive in the future,” she told the Financial Times. “We want to now encourage the member states to invest a bigger part, 10 per cent, to these disruptive technologies.”