Europe is facing a “watershed moment” where it will need to make big decisions about how to ensure its future security, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen has said.
The leaders of the 27 EU states backed plans to free up several hundred billion euros to spend on their own defence and security, at an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday.
The meeting took place following several weeks that have rocked the traditional transatlantic alliance between Europe and the United States.
In response to growing concerns about US president Donald Trump pulling crucial US support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, European leaders discussed where they could step in to try to fill the gap, as well as bolster their own militaries.
“We have to put Ukraine in a position to protect itself and to push for a lasting and just peace,” Dr von der Leyen said.
The rush to do more to help to Ukraine comes as the US paused its military aid to Kyiv, which has been a vital support on the battlefield since the start of Russia’s full scale invasion three years ago.
Olaf Scholz, the outgoing German chancellor, said it was crucial that Ukraine was not forced to accept any sort of “dictated peace”. Any deal needed to be one that guaranteed its future sovereignty and independence from Russia, he said.
Finland’s prime minister Petteri Orpo said the summit was a “historical” moment, where EU leaders needed to quickly agree to row in even stronger behind Ukraine.
There are serious concerns that Mr Trump will push for a settlement to end the war between Russia and Ukraine, on terms favourable to Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, said on Thursday he is in discussions with Ukraine for a peace agreement framework to end hostilities with Russia and that a meeting is planned next week with the Ukrainians in Saudi Arabia.
“We’re now in discussions to coordinate a meeting with the Ukrainians,” Witkoff told reporters at the White House. He said it would likely be in Riyadh or Jeddah.
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who travelled to Brussels for the summit, thanked European leaders for making sure Ukraine was “not alone” in its fight with Russia.
In the run-up to the meeting, Hungary’s far right prime minister Viktor Orban signalled he would block joint EU efforts to increase military aid to Ukraine, which need unanimous agreement.
Mr Orban, the most pro-Trump leader in the room, has on several occasions used veto powers to hold up the EU sending more support to Ukraine.
Following several hours of discussions on Thursday, Mr Orban refused to add his name to a joint EU leaders’ statement expressing support for Ukraine.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign affairs chief, earlier said Hungary’s repeated blocking of decisions was “increasingly difficult”, at a time when Ukraine needed to be put in a position to “end this war on their terms”.
The former Estonian prime minister suggested a coalition of “willing” states could push ahead on their own, if Hungary continued to frustrate decisions being taken at EU level.
Alongside discussions about how to help Ukraine, the 27 leaders agreed to support a proposal from the European Commission, that officials hope will free up hundreds of billions of euros to invest in defence.
Under the plan to “rearm” Europe, the EU executive would borrow €150 billion, to fund loans it then would extend to national capitals. The proposal also includes an easing of EU rules introduced to keep national budget deficits in check.
Poland’s prime minister Donald Tusk said Europe was in an “arms race” with Russia, which it needed to win. “Many people in Poland share my view that we, Europe, have to take a greater responsibility for security,” he said.
Mr Tusk said he hoped a freeze in the flow of US support to Ukraine was a “negotiating tactic”, rather than a final decision. “I deeply believe that American support in terms of communication, reconnaissance and intelligence will continue,” he said.
Can Europe defend itself without the United States?
