ADDS REMARKS BY HUNGARIAN PRIME MINISTER VIKTOR ORBAN
By Aysu Bicer
LONDON (AA) - EU leaders have agreed to new defense spending plans following emergency talks held in Brussels on Thursday.
The 27 leaders endorsed a set of conclusions aimed at enhancing the EU's military autonomy and readiness in the face of evolving global challenges.
A separate section on support for Ukraine was blocked by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. It will instead be issued as an annex with the backing of 26 member states.
Orban told state radio that the EU’s approach to supporting Ukraine while also increasing defense spending would "ruin Europe."
“If now the US quits (financing the war) … why would the other 26 member states have a chance to take this war to the end?" he said. "Today it appears that I have vetoed. But within weeks, they will come back and it will turn out that there is no money for these goals.”
- Push for greater defense autonomy
The EU leadership determined that Europe needs to become less dependent on traditional allies for defense.
"The European Council stresses that Europe must become more sovereign, more responsible for its own defense and better equipped to act and deal autonomously with immediate and future challenges and threats with a 360° approach," it said in a statement.
"Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its repercussions for European and global security in a changing environment constitute an existential challenge for the EU," it added.
The new defense plans focus on accelerating the mobilization of necessary instruments, including €150 billion ($162 billion) worth of new loans and financing to strengthen the bloc's security framework.
- $868B defense initiative
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen presented an ambitious €800 billion ($868 billion) plan to bolster the EU’s defense capabilities.
The proposal is seen as a critical step in addressing Europe’s security needs, especially following the reduction in US military aid under the administration of President Donald Trump.
Von der Leyen described the proposal as a “watershed moment for Europe,” emphasizing the importance of self-reliance and increased defense readiness.
The €800 billion defense initiative includes a €150 billion loan scheme secured against unused funds in the EU budget and a plan to unlock an additional €650 billion in new spending through greater flexibility in the EU’s fiscal rules.
The summit also intensified pressure on EU countries, particularly seven NATO members including Spain and Italy that have yet to meet the 2% defense spending target set over a decade ago.