More than three years since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, European powers and the US appear to have differing approaches to peace in Ukraine.

EU leaders agreed on Thursday at a crisis summit to bolster the bloc’s defenses. They endorsed the European Commission’s plan to mobilize €800 billion for defense spending and committed to examining a proposal to provide EU-backed loans of up to €150 billion “as a matter of urgency”.

Despite this, Ukrainian and European leaders emphasize that the US remains crucial to securing peace in Ukraine. However, there is a growing sentiment for the European continent to be less reliant on Washington for its security.