European leaders will gather in Brussels on Thursday to discuss how to navigate a new era of decreased cooperation from the United States, increased threats from Russia, and uncertainty for Ukraine. The leaders must carefully balance support for Ukraine and their own defense measures while avoiding further straining their relationships with their allies in Washington.

This gathering is part of the European Union’s efforts to strengthen its defense measures in light of a rapidly changing global order under President Trump. In recent weeks, Trump has demanded a rapid peace in Ukraine, opened talks with Russia without involving Europe, and called on European nations to increase their defense spending.

While the EU is typically known for its consensus-focused and somewhat sluggish nature, its leaders are now working to adapt quickly to ensure Europe is not left behind. Leaders in the UK and France have expressed willingness to send troops as a peacekeeping force if a deal is reached, but the specifics of such a coalition remain unclear.

Emmanuel Macron, the French president, has proposed discussing the possibility of using France’s nuclear deterrent to protect Europe in light of threats from Russia. Several countries outside of the EU, including the UK, Norway, and Turkey, are expected to be briefed by top EU officials following the Thursday meeting.

Despite challenges in speaking with one voice on Ukraine, and the differing views of Viktor Orban, the Hungarian prime minister, on the matter, the EU continues to discuss further aid for Ukraine, among other things. The gathering will likely go beyond just discussing Ukraine, also focusing on how Europe can better protect itself as a whole, including a proposed 150 billion euro loan program to help increase defense spending and investments.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/world/europe/europe-trump-ukraine-defense.html