European Union leaders stated on Thursday that they will continue to support Ukraine, but did not immediately approve Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s request for a €5 billion package for artillery purchases.
“We need funds for artillery shells, and we would appreciate Europe’s support with at least €5 billion as soon as possible,” Zelensky told the European leaders gathered in Brussels.
At the beginning of the summit in Brussels, the EU’s chief diplomat, Kaja Kallas, urged leaders to match their words with actions when it comes to Kyiv, while U.S. President Donald Trump moves forward with his ideas for ending the war.
“The stronger they are on the battlefield, the stronger they are at the negotiation table,” Kallas said, referring to the Ukrainians.
In a statement approved by all leaders — except Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban — they agreed to continue “regular financial support for Ukraine.”
They also said member states should “increase efforts to address Ukraine’s military needs.”
However, no concrete answers were given to Kallas’ proposal to focus on what Zelensky has said they need most — about 2 million artillery shells costing €5 billion.
Kallas had already withdrawn from a proposal to commit to a $40 billion military aid package for Ukraine for the entire year, with each country contributing according to its economic situation, as some countries, especially in southern Europe, strongly resisted.
Increasing the European Union’s defense capabilities was another topic on the summit’s agenda, reflecting concerns that Moscow may attack a future EU member state and exposing doubts about the future of American support for Europe through NATO.
“We must rearm ourselves because otherwise, we will be the next victims of Russian aggression,” said Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he dislikes the term “rearmament,” which the European Commission has often used in efforts to push defense spending forward.
These statements reflect divisions among EU countries regarding defense spending, depending on how far they are from Russia.
