EU leaders to hold emergency Ukraine talks, seeking to adapt to new security demands without the US

Friedrich Merzchancellor

In view of the increasing threat situation, it is clear to us that Europe … must now very quickly make very big efforts, very quickly, to strengthen the defense capability of our country and the European continent,

Germany’s likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, said Tuesday

Last year alone, thanks to Ukrainian and partner efforts, we produced over 1.5 million drones of various types. Ukraine is now the world leader in drone warfare. This is our success. But it’s also your success,

he said earlier this month at the Munich Security Conference

The nightmare scenario is that the U.S. announces a deal soon that accepts most of Russia’s demands and then tells Ukraine and Europe to take it or leave it,

said Malcolm Chalmers, deputy director general at the Royal United Services Institute in London

Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelensky, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the US. Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia. What are they thinking

he posted on his social media account

As I understand it, that is not their position.

Hours earlier the PM dismissed rumours of the move, telling MPs

Volodymyr Zelenskyypresident

Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be

President Zelensky stopped short of an apology, but said

Keir Starmerprime Minister

Keeping military aid flowing into Ukraine while the war is ongoing.

The decision to suspend aid is a major blow to Sir Keir's four-step plan for Ukraine, which begins with

We are ready to work fast to end the war, and the first stages could be the release of prisoners and truce in the sky - ban on missiles, long-ranged drones, bombs on energy and other civilian infrastructure - and truce in the sea immediately, if Russia will do the same

He said

Phil Goffnew Zealand politician

You were given the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, and you will have war.” ... Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office, but do you think he really understands history?”

The New Zealand high commissioner, Phil Goff, recalls Winston Churchill famously denouncing Neville Chamberlain, saying ... Goff then added

There can be no sustainable peace in Ukraine without a strong and sovereign Ukraine,

she said

We need the Americans. We need the Americans militarily, but especially also to keep up the sanctions pressure, because the worst thing that could happen now is that the US says ‘let’s get off the sanctions’ and starts engaging with Russia economically, because that would be exactly the wrong cause of action now,

she said

This will support EU efforts to achieve a rapid and significant increase in defence spending in order to answer the unprecedented security and defence situation.”

Mrs von der Leyen added

We in Europe are very appreciative of the support of the United States and the role it has played in European security for decades.”

She said

If the Europeans want to step up and make up for the loss of American aid to Ukraine, it needs to happen now,

Tenenbaum said

The sense of urgency is finally catching up with European leaders but it’s not sufficient at the moment,

said Olena Prokopenko, a senior German Marshall Fund fellow

It raises very big issues for the future of the European Union — and I think people in Europe are very aware of this,

said Ian Lesser, who heads the Brussels office of the German Marshall Fund policy institute

The question is no longer whether Europe’s security is threatened in a very real way, or whether Europe should shoulder more of its responsibility for its own security,

said European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen ahead of the summit, as she outlined a multi-pronged $840 billion defense financing plan for the 27-member bloc

What happened in the Oval Office last week was useful to make people understand we disagree not only on the means, instruments and policies, but on something more fundamental: on values, on the threat perception,

he said of growing transatlantic differences

Yes, we are not in a good situation,

said Duclos, now an analyst at the Montaigne Institute research group in Paris

I see some degree of — I don’t want to say panic — but really alarmed Europeans who realize they need to stick together as much as possible,

said Elie Tenenbaum, director of security studies at the French Institute for International Relations in Paris