European defence ministers have accused the EU's environmental regulations of obstructing military preparations against a potential Russian invasion.
The rules have reportedly prevented the expansion of military bases and stopped fighter jet pilots from conducting necessary training exercises.
In a leaked letter obtained by The Telegraph, 11 member states argued that EU legislation was actively hindering their armed forces' ability to achieve operational readiness.
"EU legislation may not prevent member states' armed forces from carrying out necessary activities to become operationally ready. But right now, it does," the ministers wrote to Andrius Kubilius, the defence commissioner.
The rules have reportedly prevented the expansion of military bases and stopped fighter jet pilots from conducting necessary training exercises
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The concerns focus particularly on procurement legislation, nature conservation requirements and environmental protection measures.
The letter was signed by the Dutch, Swedish, German, Belgian, Czech, Latvian, Lithuanian, Romanian, Finnish, Estonian and Danish governments.
They highlighted that regulations "mainly (but not exclusively) in the areas of procurement legislation, nature conservation and environmental protection" were creating obstacles for defence organisations.
EU directives on habitats, wild bird protection and waste disposal have emerged as particular impediments to military readiness.
Sébastien Lecornu (L), Minister of Defence of France, and Germany's Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (R) attend the meeting of North Atlantic Council defence ministers during the NATO defence ministers' meeting at the NATO headquarters
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The waste directive requires armed forces to meet specific disposal quotas, potentially restricting their ability to conduct exercises using live ammunition.
"Credible deterrence in practice means growing the armed forces, which requires space for training, including flying, navigating and driving and building appropriate amenities," the ministers stated in their correspondence.
The EU has established a five-year timeline to prepare for a potential Russian invasion, with plans to spend approximately £674billion on defence.
However, the bloc's 2023 "Greening the armies" report recommended that European armed forces consider virtual training exercises instead of real-world sessions to reduce emissions.
The second peace meeting with the Russian and Ukrainian delegations at the Ciragan Palace
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The ministers demanded that all new EU legislation be screened for its impact on rearmament efforts before implementation.
They concluded: "Making the EU legal framework fit for this time, horizontally and especially in non-defence specific areas, is a crucial piece of the readiness puzzle."
European intelligence officials believe Vladimir Putin will be ready to attack Nato within five years, whilst facing no comparable environmental restrictions when expanding Russia's military production facilities.