European Union (EU) leaders, shaken by the prospect of US isolation, agreed on Thursday to boost the bloc’s security at a crisis summit after Washington said talks with Kiev were back on track to secure a ceasefire with Moscow.
European countries have approved a plan to ‘rearm Europe’ against the perceived threat from Russia, uniting on Ukraine’s side following a White House standoff between US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
“We are moving decisively towards a stronger and more sovereign defence Europe,” Antonio Costa, head of the EU’s 27-nation council, told reporters after the talks. “We are doing what we say.” Leaders backed the European Commission’s goal of raising around 800 billion euros ($860 billion) for defense spending and pledged to examine a proposal to provide members with up to 150 billion euros in EU-backed loans “as a matter of urgency.”
Germany’s incoming Chancellor Friedrich Merz is embracing radical reforms to the country’s rearmament fund, while the defense plan has eased fiscal rules to allow states to spend much more. French President Emmanuel Macron has also called for increased defense spending and suggested extending France’s nuclear deterrent to European partners.
European governments are under pressure to boost defense as Trump questions whether the United States, the guarantor of Europe’s security since World War II, should continue its central role in NATO. Trump once again questioned that commitment on Thursday, complaining that his allies “should pay more.”
Not alone
Trump has distanced the United States from its transatlantic partners by improving relations with Russia to end the war in Ukraine, raising fears that he will be forced into an agreement that is not favorable to Kiev. EU leaders welcomed President Zelenskyy to Brussels in a show of support, a week after the United States halted military aid and intelligence transfers to Kiev following a row with Trump.
Declaring that Ukraine should be in “as strong a position as possible” and that a “just and lasting peace” must be ensured, the leaders’ statement reiterated their demand for “strong and reliable security guarantees” to prevent future Russian aggression.
The text, supported by 26 of the 27 countries, emphasizes that “there can be no talks on Ukraine without Ukraine,” in anticipation of expected opposition from Hungarian nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a staunch Trump supporter. “We are very grateful that we are not alone,” Zelensky said.
There were no major new aid announcements at the meeting. Many states argue that Europe currently has enough money committed to meet Kiev’s needs, even though the US has withheld aid. But Norway, which is not a member of the EU, has announced that it will double its aid to a total of $7.8 billion by 2025.
Saudi talks
After last week’s diplomatic incident, Zelensky has sought to mend ties with Trump, and the US representative for the Russia-Ukraine conflict announced plans for new talks on Thursday.
Declaring his delight at Zelensky’s “apology,” US Representative Steve Witkoff said he was willing to travel to Saudi Arabia to talk with Ukrainian negotiators about an “initial ceasefire” and a “framework” for a long-term agreement with Russia.
A senior official in Kiev said Ukrainian and American delegations were expected to meet in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, on Tuesday. The meeting will take place in Riyadh or Jeddah, Witkoff said. Zelensky said Ukrainian and American negotiators had “resumed work.” “We hope to have a meaningful meeting next week,” he said.
In his bid to salvage cooperation with Washington, Zelensky declared his readiness to work towards a peace deal under Trump’s “strong leadership” and finalize an agreement on US access to Ukrainian mineral resources. Trump’s outreach to Russian President Vladimir Putin to end the three-year war, alienating both Kiev and its European allies, has pushed Europe into crisis mode.
It has also helped bring Britain back into the European Union, five years after it left. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is working with Macron to rebuild bridges between Trump and Zelensky, and they have jointly proposed a month-long ceasefire on “air, sea and energy infrastructure.”
France and Britain are calling for a “coalition of the willing” to help secure a future ceasefire. A British official said on Thursday that talks were underway with about 20 countries.
Some European countries have said they would be willing to deploy troops to Ukraine as a ‘security guarantee’. However, Russia has said a temporary ceasefire and European troops in Ukraine are unacceptable, saying a “final solution” is needed.
