Photo: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen (Getty Images)
Brussels, 6 March 2025 – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has said that Europe and Ukraine are in a critical security phase, and the situation on the continent has become “extremely dangerous” following the decision of the Donald Trump administration to suspend military aid to Ukraine.
Speaking in Brussels alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and EU Council President Antonio Costa, von der Leyen stressed that it was time for decisive action to strengthen Europe’s defence capabilities and help Kyiv to fight for sustainable peace.
“This is a turning point for Europe. We are facing a clear threat, so we must not only defend ourselves, but also guarantee Ukraine’s ability to defend itself,” she said, presenting a new rearmament plan worth up to €800 billion.
What the EU plan envisages
The President of the European Commission proposed to create a new financial mechanism to support member states in the defence sector, including loans worth €150 billion guaranteed by the EU budget. Von der Leyen also called for a temporary relaxation of budgetary rules for four years to stimulate investment in the military sector.
Germany proposes to go even further
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz called for long-term changes to the EU’s regulatory system so that countries could invest in defence without the threat of financial stability. The idea was supported by the Baltic states, but the Netherlands and Sweden reacted with scepticism, warning of the risks of new debt pressure on the EU economy.
These initiatives are also in line with internal political processes in Germany, where the future coalition is already planning to remove defence spending from strict budget constraints.
“Time to act” – support from the European Parliament
The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, called the rearmament of Europe a long-overdue decision and stressed that “after years of discussion, the time for action has come.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, whose country holds the EU Council presidency, spoke of the need to win the arms race unleashed by Russia and supported French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposal to use nuclear deterrence to protect Europe.
“We have to coordinate all our capabilities and create a true, unified and effective defence system,” Tusk stressed.
Trump’s criticism and Zelensky’s gratitude
The head of European diplomacy, Kaja Kallas, sharply criticised Trump’s decision to freeze military aid to Ukraine, calling it a “dangerous experiment with Ukraine’s future”.
In turn, Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the European Union for its support and solidarity:
“You are sending a powerful message to the Ukrainian people, our soldiers, families and every Ukrainian. We are sincerely grateful that we were not left alone. These are not just words – we feel it,” Zelenskyy said before the summit in Brussels.
Faced with the threat of losing US support, Europe is embarking on a new phase of strengthening its own defence capabilities and taking real responsibility for the continent’s security.
