On March 6, leaders of the 27 member states of the European Union (EU) held a special summit in Brussels, Belgium, with the goal of strengthening European defense and security in the context of the Ukraine crisis.
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| From left to right: European Council President Antonio Costa, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen appear together before entering the special EU summit on March 6 in Brussels, Belgium. (Source: DPA) |
The conference was attended by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, President of the European Council Antonio Costa, and President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen.
The meeting took place in the context of major adjustments in foreign policy by the administration of US President Donald Trump, including restoring diplomatic relations with Russia, suspending military aid to Ukraine and weakening the cohesion of the transatlantic alliance, putting Europe before many challenges.
Huge project for Europe
Speaking at the opening of the conference, President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen stressed that Europe and Ukraine are at a "decisive moment". She said that Europe is facing an "imminent threat" from outside, requiring the continent to be able to protect and defend itself in all situations.
According to TASS news agency, the EC President announced a large-scale project called "European Rearmament Plan". This plan includes providing EU loans, easing budget regulations and mobilizing capital from the private sector, helping member states access loans of up to 800 billion euros (about 865 billion USD).
Ms von der Leyen stressed that this plan will create financial conditions for member states to invest in defense. At the same time, it will also allow them to invest in Ukraine's defense industry or purchase military equipment to be transferred directly to Kiev.
The plan aims to achieve peace in Ukraine through strength, she said, and is considered an unprecedented effort, and European leaders have shown their readiness to commit to it.
Becoming an 'umbrella' for Ukraine
Support for Ukraine was also one of the main topics discussed by European leaders at the special EU Summit.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of the summit with President Zelensky and Ms von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa once again pledged that the EU has been, is and will continue to stand by Ukraine until peace talks take place and then the process of Kiev's accession to the EU.
Meanwhile, Ms. von der Leyen said that the EU needs to provide Ukraine with the necessary means for a just and sustainable peace. In the context of increasing tensions in the region, the EC President's statement once again reaffirmed the EU's commitment to supporting Kiev.
For his part, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky thanked the European countries for their strong support and solidarity, which he said was extremely important not only for the present but also for Ukraine's long-term future in the process of recovery and integration with the EU.
One of the key initiatives discussed by the 27 EU heads of state and government is the creation of a “coalition of the willing”, including member states and external partners, focused on establishing sustainable security commitments for Ukraine, especially in the event that Kiev reaches a fair and lasting peace agreement with Moscow.
European countries will provide concrete guarantees of military and financial support, as well as long-term regional stability measures. Preliminary discussions are currently underway on the scope and level of EU participation in the alliance.
According to some diplomatic sources, EC President von der Leyen, European Council President Costa and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas will have an important meeting on March 7 to assess the results of the Summit and discuss the expansion of the alliance with the participation of strategic allies such as the UK, Turkey, Norway and Iceland.
Source: https://baoquocte.vn/hoi-nghi-thuong-dinh-eu-lo-tham-vong-khung-tai-vu-trang-chau-au-de-tim-kiem-hoa-binh-bang-suc-manh-len-ke-hoach-hau-thuan-ukraine-306638.html
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