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At an emergency summit in Brussels on Thursday, the European Union made a significant move to increase defense spending, which was warmly welcomed by Sir Keir Starmer. The package includes loans and relaxed deficit rules aimed at strengthening the military forces across the continent. Following a discussion with EU leaders, the prime minister described the decision as a “historic” step and emphasized the importance of Europe stepping up in defense matters.
One of Sir Keir’s objectives is to rally European countries to join a “coalition of the willing” to act as a deterrent against potential Russian aggression in the event of a peace deal in Ukraine. Approximately 20 countries have shown interest in joining the coalition, with a focus on providing support other than sending troops. Amid concerns about the reliability of US security support under President Trump, EU leaders have reiterated their commitment to enhancing Europe’s military capabilities, culminating in the decision to collectively borrow €150bn for military expenses.
In a call with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President Antonio Costa, as well as with the leaders of Canada, Turkey, Norway, and Iceland, Starmer was briefed on the plans for increased defense spending in Europe. Downing Street later applauded the progress made at the Brussels summit and confirmed discussions regarding the upcoming “coalition of the willing” and the importance of an upcoming meeting in Paris to further drive planning efforts.
Both the UK and France have expressed their willingness to provide peacekeeping troops to Ukraine and are urging other European nations to make a similar commitment. However, it is emphasized that for such an effort to be effective, the presence of troops in Ukraine must be supported by security guarantees from the United States, which have yet to be formally committed by President Trump. Talks between the US and Ukraine aimed at reaching an agreement are scheduled to take place in Saudi Arabia next week, with Trump indicating a looming consideration of imposing new sanctions and tariffs on Russia in response to recent hostilities
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