European Union leaders are confronting one of the biggest challenges in the bloc’s history as an aggressive Russia looms to the east and American support wavers from the west.
On Thursday, they pledged to rise to the challenge.
Leaders gathered at a specially convened meeting in Brussels to discuss how to bolster both Europe’s own defenses and its support for Ukraine amid enormously high stakes. They must figure out how to accomplish those aims without further alienating their tempestuous allies in Washington.
At the same time, they are struggling to keep a united front even among their own member countries: Hungary did not sign onto a statement released Thursday affirming “unwavering support” for Ukraine.
Officials expressed a new sense of urgency as they promised to push for a strong peace deal for Ukraine and a more independent future for European defense.
“Europe faces a clear and present danger,” Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the E.U. executive arm, said as she walked into the gathering on Thursday alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine, calling this a “watershed moment.”
Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, was even blunter.
“It is about damn time,” she said. “We are ready to put, finally, our money where our mouth is.”
Thursday’s gathering included the heads of state or government from the European Union’s 27 member countries, and was the latest in a series of quickly arranged summits focused on defense.
Leaders discussed options to finance a ramp up in European military spending, including a novel plan that would offer 150 billion euros — about $160 billion — in loans to fund investments in missile defense, anti-drone systems and other crucial defense technologies. Officials agreed that the project should be pushed along urgently. The overarching goal was to make the continent better armed to deal with Russia without as much backup from across the Atlantic.
European nations also reviewed what a peace plan for Ukraine might look like, as they contemplate how they can support it both financially and possible with troops — a proposition Russia flatly rejected once again on Thursday. The 26 countries who signed onto the statement of support for Ukraine pledged “regular and predictable” financial help at a time when the United States has taken a sharp turn toward Russia.
“We are very thankful that we are not alone,” Mr. Zelensky said on Thursday, from the meeting’s venue.
In some ways, the gathering was the start of a new chapter for the European Union. Created to foster cooperation and peace, the bloc is being forced to contemplate its role in a world rived by conflict and animosity, even among allies.
The pressing question is whether the E.U., with its consensus-focused, clunky structure, can adapt itself quickly enough to ensure that Europe doesn’t get left behind as President Trump upends the global order.
In less than two months, Mr. Trump has altered the landscape when it comes to security in Europe. He is demanding a rapid peace in Ukraine, and has prodded Mr. Zelensky toward negotiations by berating him publicly and halting aid to his nation. He opened talks with Russia without directly involving Europe, or Ukraine. And he has at the same time assailed other European countries for paying too little to protect themselves in an “unfair” system.
On Thursday, the American president suggested from the Oval Office that America might not protect NATO members that were not paying enough for their own defense, calling it “common sense.” A cornerstone of the alliance is that an attack against an ally is considered an attack against all allies.
“Mr. Trump, he is full of surprises — they are mostly bad surprises for us,” Bart De Wever, the prime minister of Belgium, told reporters on Thursday.
America’s shift has left Europe contemplating how to better back up Ukraine.
On Wednesday, the French president, Emmanuel Macron, said he would talk with European allies about the possibility of using France’s nuclear deterrent to protect the continent in the wake of threats from Russia.
Britain and France have indicated a openness to sending troops as a peacekeeping force if a deal is reached, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain has called for support from a “coalition of the willing.”
Britain convened a meeting on Wednesday of officials from 20 countries — many of them European — to discuss possible military and nonmilitary contributions to such a coalition, according to British officials.
Russia, though, has rebuffed the idea of European peacekeeping forces in Ukraine. Sergey V. Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, said on Thursday that there was “no space for a compromise” on the issue and that Russia would not allow it.
Speaking at a news conference in Moscow, Mr. Lavrov said Russia would see the deployment of such troops on Ukrainian territory “in the same way as we have looked at the potential presence of NATO” in the country.
“We would not just observe such actions,” he added.
Nor is it clear yet how the European Union would fit into such a coalition — an issue that was up for discussion on the sidelines of the event on Thursday.
What is clear is that not all Europeans are eager to do more for Ukraine. Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, has been especially vocal in his praise of Mr. Trump and in his disagreement with his European colleagues when it comes to Ukraine. While officials knew in advance that Hungary might not support the joint statement, they had hoped that they might be able to bring it around and maintain unanimity.
Hungary’s move was largely symbolic, but the nation’s opposition to expanding help for Ukraine could have more practical consequences before long if it complicates discussions about renewing sanctions or about extending a freeze on Russian assets held in Europe.
In spite of Hungary’s reluctance, much of Europe is united — rather than divided — by the current moment. Several countries outside the European Union, including Britain, Norway and Turkey, are expected to be briefed by top E.U. officials after the Thursday meeting, according to an E.U. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters.
That’s an unusual step, and a sign of growing cooperation.
There’s more to come from the E.U. and its partners. European Union countries are still contemplating further financial contributions to Ukraine, and they are planning to rapidly push forward measures to “rearm” Europe — including the €150 billion loan program Ms. von der Leyen has proposed.
Other initiatives include making E.U. budget rules more flexible to enable countries to invest more without breaching tough deficit limits, and expanding what the European Investment Bank’s lending rules so that it can push money into a broader array of military projects.
And the conversation about ramping up defense will continue almost immediately.
Mr. Zelensky posted on social media on Thursday that there will be an upcoming meeting on March 11 “at the level of military representatives of the countries” to discuss security guarantees. The E.U. is also set to release a detailed paper on the future of its defense later this month.
“Today, history is being written,” Ms. von der Leyen said at the conclusion of Thursday’s event. “The urgency is real.”
Ivan Nechepurenko, Emma Bubola and Marc Santora contributed reporting.