European Union leaders are gathering in Brussels Thursday for the latest emergency summit called to bolster security for Ukraine amid questions about U.S. support for the country and their own security.
There is new urgency for the effort after President Trump paused military supplies and intelligence sharing with Ukraine this week.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the only non-EU leader invited to the meeting, arrived expressing gratitude for the steadfastness of European support amid Washington's shift away from supporting the country.
"During all these period — and last week — you stayed with us," Zelenskyy said. "We are very thankful that we are not alone and these are not just words, we feel it."
Greeting Zelenskyy, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen laid out the stakes in stark terms, saying, "Europe faces a clear and present danger, and therefore Europe has to be able to protect itself, to defend itself, as we have to put Ukraine in a position to protect itself and to push for a lasting and just peace."
The centerpiece of the summit will be a package of proposals von der Leyen presented Tuesday aimed at raising defense spending by 800 billion euros ($860 billion) across the bloc. The "ReArm Europe" plan offers incentives to governments, including removing penalties for running up high debt levels if the expenditures are for military reasons. Another new mechanism would offer loans backed up by the EU if countries make joint purchases of large-scale equipment and capabilities, such as air and missile defense, drones and cyber preparedness, sectors where Europe is currently highly dependent on the U.S.
Former Dutch Defense Minister Kajsa Ollongren tells NPR that European leaders have realized "this might be the moment where we are on our own and we have to make sure that we are secure and that Ukraine does not lose this war and that Russia doesn't win this war of aggression." She says it's time to declare a "war economy" in Europe, as difficult as it may be to make those political decisions on the budgets of its members. "These are difficult choices. And you have to explain them to people," she said. "But it has to be done."
As she arrived at the summit, European Parliament President Roberta Metsola suggested that lawmakers at least are ready for these decisions. "It is about damn time," Metsola said. "This is something that we have been asking for a long time, that the European Union, that Europe is capable of standing up on its own two feet."
EU leaders are hoping to be able to move forward on the ReArm package proposals at this summit, although Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico have expressed traditional opposition to helping Ukraine. It remains to be seen whether the fact that most of the measures help domestic defense first may sway their opinions.
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