European leaders gather for special defence council in Brussels

On Thursday, European leaders in Brussels gathered a private defense council, where France President Emmanuel Macron warned that the continent was at the “History turning point”.

In addition to re -arms, leaders are expected to discuss how the European Union can support Kiev in the face of US President Donald Trump’s announcement on Monday that he will suspend aid to Ukraine. Ukrainian President Voludimi Zelinski is called to the summit.

The nerves have grown increasingly throughout Europe since then Trump’s confrontation and Zellinski at the White House last weekAnd rhetoric about the Thursday’s summit leaves no doubt about the importance of European Union officials.

Three years since then Russia’s full invasion of UkraineTrump administration initiatives have left Russian President Vladimir Putin a lot in the relevant Europe that the continent will not be able to rely on the United States’ support for its security.

Washington’s decision on Wednesday To stop intelligence participation with Ukraine He did nothing to calm those concerns.

In a sign of the depth of anxiety, President Macron said that France was open to discuss the extension of the protection provided by its nuclear arsenal to its European partners, during a speech to the nation on Wednesday.

After that, he followed a call from Friedrich Mirz, who is likely to be the next adviser to Germany, to discuss the increase in nuclear participation.

Ursula von der Lin, President of the European Council, said that Europe was “facing” a clear and present dangerous danger in an unprecedented scale in our adult life, “while European Council President Antonio Costa said this is” a decisive moment for Ukraine and European security. ”

In a letter to European leaders, von der Layen also said that the continent had to “meet the moment” and “unleash our industrial and productive strength and direct it to the goal of security.”

On Monday, von der Lynn announced an unprecedented defense package – called “re -” Ermd Europe – and said that Europe is ready to “increase the defense spending” on a large scale “at the speed and ambition required.”

Von der Lain said that the three proposals shown in the European Restore plan will support both Ukraine and “meet the long -term need to take more responsibility” for European security – in reference to the fact that many Europeans can no longer rely automatically on the United States to reach its help.

Suggestions include:

• Allowing countries to increase the levels of national deficit to provide a field for further defensive spending
• 150 billion euros (125 billion pounds) as loans for defense investment in areas that can benefit from the defense of the European Union as a whole – for example, air and missile defense, anti -baron systems, military mobility – assistance in the demand for assembly, and reduce costs through common purchases
• Allowing the countries to redirect the funds allocated to the cohesion policy programs (policies aimed at settling the differences between more and less) for defensive spending

The European Investment Bank will also be allowed to finance military projects.

According to Von Der Leyen, the plan can release a total of 800 billion euros (860 billion dollars; 670 billion pounds) at defense expenditures.

Many European leaders have indicated their support for decisive and decisive measures regarding the security of the continent.

Donald Tusk, Prime Minister in Poland, said the committee’s plan is a “basic shift”, while Litanic President Gitanas NaUUSEDA said the summit would give Europe the opportunity to show “whether it is just a discussion club or whether we can make decisions.”

But it is expected that some European leaders sympathize with Moscow will oppose.

Earlier this week, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico said that the “peace through power” approach to the European Union was “unrealistic”.

In a letter to Costa, VikTor Orban student of Hungary not to mention Ukraine in any written conclusions after the summit.

Urban – who has repeatedly tried to prevent the European Union aid to Ukraine and Trump praised “standing courage for peace” – that there is now “a strategic gap … between the majority of Europe and the United States of America.”

He added: “One of the two sides insists on prolonging the war in Ukraine, while the other is looking for an end to the conflict.”

However, Urban left the door open because of a “greater possibility of cooperation” with other leaders on security and joint defense issues.

Perhaps in a recent attempt to try to achieve unity before the summit, Macron – who put himself in the center of the European Union’s efforts to fill the gap between Kiev and Washington – Urban for dinner in Paris on Wednesday evening.

The two leaders met immediately after the French president gave a bleak speech to the nation in which he said that France and Europe needed to be ready if the United States is no longer next to it.

Macron said, “We must be united and my name to protect ourselves,” Macron said. He added that the future of Europe could not be linked to Washington or Moscow, and he said that while “he wanted to believe that the United States will remain by our side, we must be prepared so that this is not the case.”

The French president plans to hold a meeting of European army heads in Paris next week.

Macron said that “decisive steps” will be taken in Brussels, leaving European countries “more willing to defend and protect themselves.”

He concluded by saying: “The moment calls for unprecedented decisions.”