EU leaders set to meet for special summit on European defense, Ukraine

ATHENS

The EU leaders will meet on Thursday for a special European Council summit on European defense and Ukraine.

“EU leaders will discuss how the EU can further support Ukraine, and the principles that should be respected going forward,” the European Council said in a statement on Wednesday.

“In this context, they will exchange views on European contributions to the necessary security guarantees required to ensure a lasting peace in Ukraine."

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has also been invited to the meeting.

The statement said the meeting will build on the Feb. 3 meeting in Brussels when the leaders “discussed how to strengthen European defense in terms of collective capabilities, financing and strategic partnerships.”

President of the European Council Antonio Costa invited the EU leaders to the meeting on Feb. 27.

European leaders have scrambled to boost their own defense and support Kyiv, as US President Donald Trump advanced negotiations directly with Russia to end its over three-year-long war with Ukraine.

Trump has also suspended the delivery of all US military aid to Ukraine, after his explosive confrontation with Zelenskyy at the White House last week.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday presented a plan to mobilize some 800 billion euros ($844 billion) for Europe's defense, and help provide urgent military support for Ukraine. The five-point proposal is likely to be discussed at the Thursday meeting.