EU leaders agree to massive rise in defence spending
By Frank Prenesti
Date: Thursday 06 Mar 2025
(Sharecast News) - European leaders have agreed to a massive rise in defence spending at an emergency summit in Brussels after US President Donald Trump cut off military aid and stopped intelligence sharing with Ukraine.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen presented a €800bn (£670bn) plan to leaders of the 27-nation bloc, including a €150bn loan scheme secured against unused funds in the EU budget.
The special summit was called last week after Trump held direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but before the US president's volatile encounter with Ukraine leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy in the Oval Office last Friday.
Hard-right Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who is more aligned to Trump and Moscow, was the only leader not to sign up to the final communique.
In an acknowledgement of Trump's pivot towards Moscow and demands from Washington that Europe rapidly increase defence spending, the remaining 26 leaders agreed that the EU would reinforce its overall defence readiness and "cut strategic dependencies".
The bloc would also address critical capability gaps and strengthen the European defence technological and industrial base accordingly so that it is in a position to "better supply equipment in the quantities and at the accelerated pace needed".
Zelenskyy made a surprise appearance at the summit having originally been scheduled to speak by video link. After some unsubtle strong-arm tactics by Washington to force him to agree to a minerals deal with the US and start peace talks with no security guarantees.
Trump pulled intelligence sharing on Thursday, angered by Zelenskyy's criticism of Putin. The US envoy to Ukraine, Keith Kellogg, was blunt in his explanation og the move.
"The best way I can describe it is sort of like hitting a mule with a two by four across the nose. You get their attention," he said.
On top of the pressure from US officials, Zelenskyy had to deal with news that Ukrainian opposition leaders confirmed they had met members of Trump's entourage but denied seeking to remove their president from power.
Former president Petro Poroshenko admitted he and ex-prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko held discussions with US officials but both said they were opposed to Trump's demands for wartime elections.
The Politico news website reported that the talks centered on whether Ukraine could hold quick presidential elections, with Trump aides confident that Zelenskyy could be levered out of power. However, recent surveys suggest he has a massive lead in the polls, further bolstered by anger over the US leader's bullying performance in the White House last week.
Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com
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