With America’s long-term commitment to Europe’s security now in doubt, the bloc is under pressure to rise to the moment. Already this week, Germany’s likely next leader pledged a historical U-turn on defence.
“This is a watershed moment for Europe,” said von der Leyen, who has laid out a plan aimed at mobilising €800 billion (US$863.5 billion) to “re-arm Europe” faced with the threat from Russia.
“Europe faces a clear and present danger, and therefore Europe has to be able to protect itself,” the commission chief told reporters.
“It’s also watershed moment for Ukraine,” she added. “We have to put Ukraine in a position to protect itself and to push for lasting and just peace.”
Leaders are expected to give a green light on Thursday to the commission’s defence plans, based largely on freeing states to spend much more – something the bloc’s two economic powerhouses look set to do.
In a sombre national address on the summit’s eve, France’s President Emmanuel Macron called for a defence spending surge to confront a “new era” and said he would discuss extending France’s nuclear deterrent to European partners.
“Who can believe that this Russia of today will stop at Ukraine?” Macron asked. “I want to believe that the United States will stay by our side, but we have to be prepared for that not to be the case.”
Germany’s chancellor-in-waiting Friedrich Merz, who conferred with EU chiefs in Brussels ahead of the talks, has declared himself ready for “the worst-case scenario” and embraced radical reforms to pump up German defence spending.
