The EU failed to agree on Ukraine’s shared support position on Thursday after Hungary had no support for further support for Kiev.
The draft declaration, supported by the remaining 26 EU countries, reaffirmed the EU’s existing position in the Ukrainian war, stressed the need for a just and lasting peace and the group’s commitment to continuing to assist Kiev, including military support.
EU support for Ukraine will be reiterated in a joint statement at a special leaders summit in Brussels following a moratorium on U.S. military aid.
Kremlin-friendly Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán announced his veto in a letter to European Council President António Costa on Saturday, referring to “our strategic differences in our approach to Ukraine”.
In his letter, Alban called for last week’s UN resolution to be recognized, calling for a quick end to the war, but did not name Russia as the invader of the Ukrainian war.
The U.S. government introduced the resolution, which was passed on the third anniversary of the Russian full invasion of Ukraine, which was passed on the third anniversary of the Russian full invasion.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrived at the meeting and emphasized her support for Ukraine and the country’s president Volodymyr Zelensky, who attended the opening of the summit.
“This is a watershed in Europe,” Von der Leyen said.
She added: “Europe is facing obvious current dangers and therefore, Europe must be able to protect itself and defend itself because we must put Ukraine in a position to protect itself and to strive for a lasting and just peace.”
EU leaders support plans that significantly improve plans aimed at re-group defense investment.
The EU “will strengthen its overall defense preparations, reduce its strategic dependence, address its critical capacity gaps and strengthen European defense technology and industrial bases”.
It wrote: “Europe must become more sovereign, have greater responsibility for its defense and be able to act better and handle direct and future challenges and threats autonomously.”
EU leaders discussed the 150 billion euro ($162.4 billion) fund invested by the Commission, hoping to mobilize about 800 billion euros thanks to additional funds from European Investment Banks and private capital.
Leaders support easing the EU’s strict debt and deficit rules to allow countries to significantly increase military spending.
“There is no doubt that the war in Ukraine, the new approach to the U.S. government to Europe, and most importantly, the arms race initiated by Russia poses a whole new challenge for us,” said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
“And Europe has to take on this challenge, this arms race. It has to win the race,” Tasker added.
EU countries and Ukraine are shocked by the prospects of the United States and Russia seeking a bilateral peaceful settlement, which could grant Moscow territorial concessions, exclude Ukraine from NATO and close the door to U.S. participation in future peacekeeping operations.
EU countries worry that a peace agreement in favor of Russia could allow Moscow to attack Ukraine again, possibly other European countries.
The threads of Russia and the United States turn around have sparked a new debate on nuclear deterrence among EU leaders.
The EU summit came after French President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday that he was considering putting allies European countries under French nuclear weapons protection.
Macron followed up on the suggestion of a possible new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to hold talks with the Western European nuclear powers on an umbrella approach.
Germany’s complex post-war history means it has not developed its own nuclear weapons.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed caution on Thursday against Macron’s proposal, who arrived at the EU summit.
When journalists asked Schalz to mention NATO’s nuclear deterrence system, which is based on US nuclear weapons stationed in some European countries, including Germany.
According to experts, the United States is still stationed in Europe about 100 nuclear bombs, some of which are said to be stored at the Büchel Air Force Base in the Eifel region of Germany. In an emergency, they will be deployed by Bundesliga fighters.
Other EU leaders, including Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Luc Frieden, Luxembourg Prime Minister, also welcomed the idea.
The European Council President Antonio Costa, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen Chat, the meeting of EU leaders in Brussels focused on increasing aid to Ukraine and European defense capabilities. Frederick Garrido Ramirez/European Council/DPA
