by Admin 07/03/2025 European Union leaders are meeting in Brussels on Thursday for a special defense council, as French President Emmanuel Macron warns that the continent is at a “turning point in history.” The summit is expected to focus on rearmament and strategies to bolster support for Ukraine, following United States President Donald Trump’s announcement earlier this week that his administration would suspend aid to Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been invited to participate in the discussions. Tensions have escalated across Europe since Trump’s meeting with Zelensky at the White House last week. European officials have framed Thursday’s summit as a crucial moment for the bloc’s security strategy. With three years having passed since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, concerns are mounting over the Trump administration’s overtures toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. Many European leaders fear that the continent may no longer be able to count on U.S. support for its security. Further deepening these concerns, Washington announced on Wednesday that it would pause intelligence sharing with Ukraine. In response, President Macron signaled France’s willingness to discuss extending its nuclear protection to European allies, highlighting the seriousness of the situation. Similarly, Friedrich Merz, the frontrunner to become Germany’s next chancellor, has called for discussions on expanding nuclear-sharing agreements. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen underscored the urgency of the situation, stating that Europe faces a “clear and present danger on a scale that none of us have seen in our adult lifetime.” European Council President António Costa echoed this sentiment, describing the moment as “defining for Ukraine and European security.” In a letter to European Union leaders, EU commission president Von der Leyen called for Europe to “meet the moment” by harnessing its industrial and production capacities to reinforce security. On Monday, she further announced an unprecedented defense initiative dubbed ReArm Europe aimed at significantly increasing defense spending at a pace that matches the scale of the threat. The plan is set to unlock up to €800 billion ($860 billion; £670 billion) in defense funding. Several European leaders have expressed strong support for swift action. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk described the initiative as a “fundamental shift,” while Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda emphasized that the summit would be a test of whether Europe is capable of making decisive security decisions rather than remaining a “debate club.” However, resistance is expected from some European leaders who maintain a more conciliatory stance toward Moscow. Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico criticized the EU’s “peace through strength” approach as “unrealistic.” Meanwhile, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has demanded that Ukraine not be referenced in any formal conclusions from the summit. Orbán, who has previously attempted to block EU aid to Ukraine and praised President Trump for “standing bravely for peace,” warned of a growing “strategic divide” between Europe and the United States. According to him, “One side insists on prolonging the war in Ukraine, while the other seeks an end to the conflict.” However, he acknowledged the potential for cooperation on border security issues. As the Brussels summit unfolds, United Kingdom Defence Secretary John Healey is set to meet with his United States counterpart Pete Hegseth in Washington to discuss the implications of the United States decision to halt intelligence sharing with Ukraine. The outcome of both meetings is expected to shape Europe’s security strategy for years to come.
European Union Leaders Convene in Brussels Amid Growing Security Concerns
