Egypt Daily News – European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized the urgent need for Europe to rearm, as she concluded the London Summit on European Security and the War in Ukraine.
She announced that she would present a comprehensive plan on the matter during an upcoming European defense summit scheduled for next Thursday.
The summit was convened to discuss new security guarantees in Europe, amid growing concerns over Washington’s shifting foreign policy following Donald Trump’s return to the White House.
At the conclusion of a summit in London on European security and the war in Ukraine, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen stressed on Sunday the urgent need for Europe to rearm.
She told reporters that she would present “a comprehensive plan on how to rearm Europe” at the European Union’s defense summit on Thursday, highlighting the need to increase defense spending “over a long period of time.”
Allied leaders of Ukraine gathered on Sunday for a crucial summit in London to discuss new security guarantees in Europe amid concerns over Washington’s new foreign policy following Trump’s return to the White House. These concerns escalated after the shocking incident between Trump and Zelensky at the White House on Friday.
She added that, in parallel, “it is now important to increase our defense spending in Europe and to prepare for the worst.”
When asked about the message she wanted to send to the United States, she responded, “It is in our common interest to prevent future wars.”
She continued, “We are ready, together and with you, to defend democracy and the rule of law. A neighboring country must not be invaded, nor should borders be changed by force.”
At the start of the summit, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, standing alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, stated, “This is a once-in-a-generation moment for Europe’s security, and we must all step up our efforts.”
Before the summit began, Starmer had said that the UK and France were working together on “a plan to stop the fighting” between Ukraine and Russia. Speaking to the BBC, he said, “The United Kingdom, alongside France and possibly one or two other countries, will work with Ukraine on a plan to stop the fighting, and then we will discuss this plan with the United States.”
