The leaders of the EU’s 27 member states convened in Brussels for a security summit to explore new ways to finance defence and rearmament, a response to President Donald Trump’s decision to pull the US away from Europe’s security framework. According to CNN, the meeting was the latest in a string of diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire in Ukraine—before Washington and Moscow dictate the terms to Kyiv.
“This is a turning point for Europe—and Ukraine is part of our European family,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen as she entered the hall with Volodymyr Zelensky. “Europe faces a clear and immediate danger, and it must be able to defend itself—just as we must ensure Ukraine can defend itself.”
As The New York Times notes, the summit in some ways marks the start of a new chapter for the European Union. A bloc originally built to foster peace and cooperation now finds itself reassessing its role in a world increasingly defined by conflict and division—even among its allies.
“The big question now is whether the EU, with its slow-moving, consensus-driven approach, can move fast enough to stop Europe from falling behind as Trump reshapes the global order,” the article notes.
Volodymyr Zelensky said the talks focused on shoring up the defence capabilities of both Ukraine and Europe. “Air defence, weapons and ammunition for Ukraine, making sure deliveries arrive on time, strengthening Ukraine’s defence industry, EU membership talks, tougher sanctions on Russia, and cracking down on sanctions evasion—it was all on the table,” he wrote.
A statement released after the summit stressed that “peace through strength” depends on Ukraine being in the strongest possible position, backed by a powerful military and defence capability—before, during, and after the war. To help make that happen, the EU plans to send Ukraine €30.6 billion in aid this year, with €18 billion covered by funds seized from Russian assets.
A declaration in support of Ukraine, which was only opposed by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, also touches on the potential deployment of peacekeepers in Ukraine under the EU’s Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP), a framework that allows the bloc to take part in peacekeeping missions.
“The European Union and Member States are ready to further contribute to security guarantees based on their respective competences and capabilities, in line with international law, including by exploring the possible use of common security and defence policy (CSDP) instruments. Security guarantees should be undertaken together with Ukraine, as well as with like-minded and NATO partners,” the document states.
A separate annex to the conclusions also tackles the issue of Russian gas transit through Ukraine to Slovakia. “The European Council urges the Commission, Slovakia, and Ukraine to intensify efforts to find effective solutions for gas transit, while taking Slovakia’s concerns into account,” it reads. Western media previously reported that the likelihood of an agreement had increased after leaders accepted Slovakia’s demands and added this point in exchange for its support of the joint statement.
In addition, the leaders of the 27 EU member states backed Ursula von der Leyen’s Rearm Europe initiative to strengthen the bloc’s defence capabilities and called on the European Council to urgently secure €150 billion in credit for defence procurement.
“The aim of this new instrument is to allow our member states to acquire the necessary military equipment, which can then be provided to Ukraine,” von der Leyen told journalists at the close of the summit.
In light of the war in Ukraine, Europe has outlined key priority areas for action at the EU level. These include air and missile defence, artillery systems—particularly those with precision strike capabilities—missiles and ammunition, drones and counter-drone systems, as well as strategic assets like space capabilities and critical infrastructure protection. The plan also covers military mobility, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and electronic warfare.
“The European Council also reminds us that a stronger, more capable EU in the fields of security and defence will contribute positively to both global and transatlantic security, complementing NATO, which remains the cornerstone of collective defence for member states,” the document states. It further calls on NATO-aligned countries to coordinate their actions ahead of the NATO Summit in June 2025.
But this summit marks just the beginning of significant security policy decisions, setting the agenda for the weeks and months ahead. All the issues discussed—including support for Ukraine—will be revisited and, perhaps, finally resolved at the next EU summit on 20-21 March, followed by another in June.
