EU Leaders Pledge Support for Ukraine, but Reject Call for €5 Billion in Artillery Ammunition Purchases
EU leaders gathered in Brussels on Thursday to discuss their support for Ukraine, with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky calling for at least €5 billion in artillery ammunition purchases. While EU leaders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine, they did not immediately endorse the call for funding.
"We need funds for artillery shells and would really appreciate Europe’s support with at least €5 billion as soon as possible," Zelensky said in a video link to the EU leaders.
The bloc’s foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, urged leaders to match their words of support for Kyiv with deeds, as US President Donald Trump pushes for an end to the war, including through a rapprochement with Russia.
"The stronger they are on the battlefield, the stronger they are behind the negotiation table," Kallas said of the Ukrainians.
In a statement, all EU leaders except Hungary’s Viktor Orban pledged to "continue to provide Ukraine with regular and predictable financial support" and to "urgently step up efforts to address Ukraine’s pressing military and defence needs." However, there was no concrete answer on the €5 billion.
EU leaders also discussed the bloc’s own defence needs, with Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nauseda stating, "We have to rearm ourselves because otherwise we will be the next victims of Russian aggression." However, some southern European capitals, such as Spain, have been more reticent, reflecting a division between those geographically closer to Russia that have given more aid to Ukraine and those farther away that have given less, as a share of their economies.
Defence Spending
EU leaders also discussed the commission’s defence proposals, which include a call for European countries to pool resources on joint military projects and buy more European arms. "I think Europe has never moved faster than over the past few weeks," French President Emmanuel Macron said. "Europe was a community built to avoid war, then a single market. It had never built the tools to become a real power. It’s doing it now. We’re doing it in real-time and we’re doing it fast."
Some leaders, such as Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, urged the EU to go further in financing defence spending and consider giving member states grants and not just loans. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed a preference for "truly common European instruments that do not directly burden the debt of states." Others, like Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof, remained opposed to joint euro bonds.
Economic Challenges
EU leaders spent the early evening debating economic challenges facing the bloc, including its bid to stay competitive while decarbonising its industries and catch up with rivals in new fields such as AI. They made clear the EU’s ability to invest in defence relies on its economic strength and called for progress this year in three fields: cutting red tape, securing affordable and clean energy, and creating a more dynamic capital market to channel billions of euros of private money towards required investments.
Conclusion
In conclusion, EU leaders reaffirmed their commitment to supporting Ukraine, but rejected the call for €5 billion in artillery ammunition purchases. The bloc’s leaders also discussed their own defence needs, with some calling for increased defence spending and others expressing concerns about the financial burden of such investments. As the EU faces economic challenges, it must balance its commitment to supporting Ukraine with its own defence needs and economic goals.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the EU’s stance on supporting Ukraine?
A: The EU has pledged to continue providing Ukraine with regular and predictable financial support, but did not immediately endorse the call for €5 billion in artillery ammunition purchases.
Q: What is the EU’s position on defence spending?
A: EU leaders discussed the commission’s defence proposals, which include a call for European countries to pool resources on joint military projects and buy more European arms. Some leaders urged the EU to go further in financing defence spending and consider giving member states grants and not just loans.
Q: What are the EU’s economic challenges?
A: The EU faces challenges in staying competitive while decarbonising its industries and catching up with rivals in new fields such as AI. The bloc has called for progress this year in three fields: cutting red tape, securing affordable and clean energy, and creating a more dynamic capital market to channel billions of euros of private money towards required investments.