The EU has demonstrated unwavering solidarity with Ukraine and its people, who continue to exhibit extraordinary resilience in the face of Russia’s illegal and unprovoked war of aggression. 

But the radical shift in US policy since Trump’s return to the White House has put the EU in uncharted geopolitical territory and risks upending the post-World War security arrangements in Europe. Efforts by Trump to strike a deal with Putin on Ukraine, and to redraw the security and defence landscape in Europe, constitute an affront to Ukraine’s fight for sovereignty and democracy and a major threat to peace in our continent. The fact that these negotiations take place without the EU, its Member States and the Ukrainian government is a sharp warning about the EU’s place in the new geopolitical context and the shortcomings of its foreign and security policy. 

For the EU and its Member States to be able to protect peace, democracy and security in Europe, we need a fundamental rethink about the EU’s security and defence role, which will necessitate strong political will, unprecedented financial investments and long-overdue institutional reforms.

Therefore, we urge the European Union to: 

• Convene an extraordinary European Council meeting to reinforce unity and expedite decision-making on increased support for Ukraine and European security; 
• Significantly increase its military and financial aid to Ukraine, ensuring that the Ukrainian armed forces have the necessary resources to defend their country and restore its territorial integrity; 
• Establish a European Defence Union (EDU) to enhance collective security and ensure a more coordinated and robust response to external threats; 
• Ensure that Ukraine and Europe must be part of any peace negotiations. Ukraine must be provided with strong, sustainable security guarantees; 
• Strengthen sanctions against Russia and prevent them from being circumvented; 
• Continue supporting Ukraine’s European integration process by providing clear accession prospects and supporting the implementation of necessary reforms; 
• Keep countering Russian disinformation and hybrid threats, while promoting fact-based reporting and supporting Ukrainian media and civil society. 

We have found ourselves in a new world, one that we should have been prepared for —which is all the more reason that we must recognise the stark geopolitical reality we are confronted with and take the necessary measures to ensure the protection of European citizens and the preservation of peace, democracy and prosperity across Europe. 

Only together we can stand with Ukraine. Only together we can defend Europe.