European leaders are set to endorse ambitious measures to boost defense spending and reaffirm their support for Ukraine on Thursday, following Donald Trump’s suspension of military aid to Kyiv, which has raised concerns over Europe’s ability to rely on US protection.
At a summit in Brussels, the leaders of the European Union’s 27 member states will be joined by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. However, their demonstration of unity may be overshadowed by Hungary’s refusal to back a statement supporting Kyiv.
The meeting comes amid significant shifts in European defense policy, driven by fears that an emboldened Russia, following its war in Ukraine, could target an EU country next, and that Europe can no longer depend on US military backing.
US President Donald Trump has reaffirmed his commitment to the NATO alliance, which links North America and Europe. However, he has also urged Europe to take greater responsibility for its security and previously hinted that the US might not defend NATO allies that fail to meet defense spending targets.
His pivot from unwavering US support for Ukraine to a more conciliatory stance toward Moscow has unsettled European leaders, who view Russia as the greatest threat to their security.
“I want to believe that the United States will stand by us. But we have to be ready if that is not the case,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in a national address on the eve of the summit regarding the war in Ukraine.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, Macron stated that France is open to discussions about extending the protection of its nuclear arsenal to its European allies.
Meanwhile, on Tuesday, parties negotiating to form Germany’s next government agreed to ease borrowing limits, allowing for billions of euros in additional defense spending.
The European Commission, the EU’s executive branch, also unveiled proposals aimed at mobilizing up to 800 billion euros ($862.9 billion) for European defense, including a plan to borrow up to 150 billion euros ($161.8 billion) to lend to EU governments.
Broad Support Expected
Diplomats anticipate that leaders at the summit will broadly endorse these proposals and direct officials to swiftly draft legislation. However, reaching a final agreement among EU members is expected to be complex.
Regarding Ukraine, most EU leaders are eager to assure Zelensky that Europe remains committed to supporting Kyiv, especially after his tense Oval Office meeting with Trump last week.
However, EU nations have yet to reach a consensus on foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas’s proposal to set a concrete figure for military aid to Ukraine in 2025.
Officials have suggested the EU should pledge at least 20 billion euros in military assistance this year, similar to what was provided in 2024.
The plan envisions each EU member contributing based on the size of its economy, amid complaints from Nordic and Baltic nations, as well as the Netherlands, that larger countries such as France, Italy, and Spain are not contributing enough.
Paris, Rome, and Madrid have pushed back against these claims, arguing that public estimates do not accurately reflect the true extent of their military assistance to Ukraine.
According to a draft text seen by Reuters, leaders are expected to instruct officials “to advance work swiftly on initiatives, notably that of the High Representative (Kallas), to coordinate increased EU military support to Ukraine.”
However, it remains uncertain whether all 27 EU leaders will endorse the statement on Ukraine, as Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban—an ally of Trump who has maintained friendly ties with the Kremlin—has threatened to veto it.
In a letter to European Council President Antonio Costa dated Saturday, Orban stated that there were “strategic differences in our approach to Ukraine that cannot be bridged.”
