The Hague: European Union leaders have wrapped up a busy week for defence, endorsing a landmark plan to unlock a combined €800 billion ($866 billion) in European military spending, though some political fissures became visible.
The bloc hopes to mark a watershed moment in the continent’s history in the face of Russia’s war against Ukraine, seen by many here as an opening move to grander territorial aspirations, and a feared abandonment by the United States under President Trump.
The spending plan is explicitly designed to decouple from a reliance on America for weapons and security, with Commission President Ursula von der Leyen saying that Europe “must buy more European” and strengthen the European defence technological and industrial base. It also focuses on joint procurement, a growing trend throughout the continent that promises to bind the countries together even tighter. Under the plan, joint procurement will also be open to Ukraine and other countries in the EU’s sphere of influence.
There remained some haggling around specifics.
Spain would like to include cybersecurity and climate change mitigation in the definition of “defence,” for instance, which top EU officials have rejected as “defence-washing.”
And Italy, long a proponent of common loans and buying European, suddenly flip-flopped on those positions, now calling into question the EU plans, seemingly with a worry for giving the EU more power that had previously been reserved for national governments.
Hungary, meanwhile, stuck to its stated position of “weapons for Europe yes, weapons for other countries no” – a reflection of Budapest’s distaste for Ukraine military aid.
While the mood of a newfound sense of self-assuredness remained, progress particularly on support for Ukraine somewhat faltered as old divisions within the bloc reared their heads.
Front and centre of those hitting the brakes were the usual suspects of Hungary and Slovakia, whose Russia-friendly governments have often threatened to block European support for Ukraine or new sanctions against Moscow. As had already been the case at an emergency summit earlier this month, precipitated by the disastrous White House meeting between Ukrainian president Zelenskyy and US president Trump, the EU fell just short of consensus on underscoring its continued support for Ukraine.
Only Hungary refused to sign onto the joint declaration promising Europe’s continued commitment to providing military and financial aid to Ukraine.
An EU plan to mobilise €40 billion in additional support for Ukraine appeared unworkable, and even a downsized €5 billion version focusing exclusively on artillery shells seemed on life support. European diplomats lamented that the initiative had been botched by not consulting with the relevant stakeholders early on, with France – the union’s preeminent military power – hesitant to support the initiative.
To date, the EU has provided €139.2 billion to Ukraine, including €49.3 billion in military support.
Despite the stumbling stones, the EU has been moving at lightning speed – at least by Brussels standards – to fill the power vacuum left by a United States in retreat and has shown remarkable unity in doing so.
“What has changed … is the new sense of urgency. Because something fundamental has shifted,” Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels earlier this month. “Our European values – democracy, freedom, and the rule of law – are under threat.”
