European Union leaders have approved new defense spending plans aimed at spending billions of euros to boost the continent's security after the Trump administration hinted that Europe would have to fend for itself in the future.
Amid uncertainty over support from the United States, EU leaders held emergency talks in Brussels to consider new ways to bolster their security and protect Ukraine.
At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that talks between Ukraine and the United States on ending the conflict would take place in Saudi Arabia next week. In his evening address, he said he would travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday to meet with the crown prince, while his team would remain for discussions with American officials.
The 27 EU leaders backed a decision to ease budget caps so that interested countries could increase their military spending.
They also called on the European Commission to explore new opportunities “to promote significant defence spending at the level of each Member State,” the statement said.
According to the EU executive, this will free up around 650 billion euros.
The leaders also noted the commission's proposal for a €150 billion loan package to buy new military equipment and called on EU headquarters to “examine this proposal urgently”.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, known as a supporter of US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest ally in Europe, refused to support part of the summit's statement in favor of Ukraine.
But all 26 other EU leaders have endorsed the bloc's position that there can be no talks on Ukraine without Ukraine and that Europeans must be included in any discussions concerning their security. Europeans have so far been excluded from US-led talks with Russia.
In recent weeks, US President Donald Trump has challenged long-held notions of the US's reliability as a security partner as he backs Russia, cuts off US aid to Ukraine and changes the framework for cooperation with Europe that has underpinned Western security since World War II.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose country holds the EU presidency, said three years of war in Ukraine and new views in Washington “present us with entirely new challenges, and Europe must rise to this challenge… and win.”
“We will arm ourselves faster, smarter and more effectively than Russia,” Mr Tusk said.
The plan to relax budget rules was proposed by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who is responsible for the EU's executive branch.
Mr. Zelensky is positive
Sourse: breakingnews.ie
