Brussels, 20 March 2025
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Good morning,
Today we have a full day ahead, a lot of topics on the agenda. First, we are going to discuss Ukraine. I am really looking forward to listening from President Zelenskyy, also getting the news and his feeling of the call with President Trump yesterday.
I very much welcome the announcement by President Trump that the United States is trying to find additional air defences for Ukraine. This is extremely important.
And, of course, today we are discussing what more we can do for Ukraine, but also for our own defence.
For Ukraine, I have proposed an initiative to really go with the ones that President Zelenskyy needs: ammunition, in an amount of [€]5 billion. We should actually start to have really concrete steps, not only words, but also deeds [with which] we are helping Ukraine, right now. Because the stronger they are on the battlefield, the stronger they are behind the negotiation table.
And of course, today we are going to also discuss competitiveness, because it goes hand in hand as well [with how] our economies [are] doing. The means from the economy also help us to do all the things we have to do, meaning investing more in defence, also helping Ukraine. So, this is also a very important discussion.
Of course, there are other topics. Yesterday, we came [out] with the defence White Paper, and we are going to discuss the elements there. In the last [European Council] summit, two weeks ago, we discussed already the funding options, but now [we will discuss] also the things that we can do together.
So, looking for a very long day ahead.
Q&A.
Q: Yesterday, the Defence Commissioner Kubilius said that for 2030 Russia could attack a NATO or an EU country. What do you say to the critics that said that this [inaudible].
It depends on what we do. The problem with defence is that if we invest enough in defence, if we build our capabilities, then it will also deter aggressors to attack us. If we do not do that, weakness invites aggressors to attack, so that is why we need to do more in order for this not to happen.
Q: On the Ukraine initiative, whatever the discussions with the Member States, the numbers seem to change and be rather lower than what you initially proposed. Are you worried that the support on the European Union level is no longer there for Ukraine?
If you listen to the statements of the leaders, then the support is very much there and that is why it should be also seen in deeds, in numbers, in actual ammunition that Ukraine needs. So, I am really hopeful that we will push this forward.
Q: Why is it that €40 billion seem unachievable for so many of the Member States?
As you know, we proposed the GNI [Gross national income] key that takes into account the economy of the country and some countries have done more and some countries are bigger economies, which means that the amounts are very big. At the same time, we also know that there are real worries with the budget deficits in most of the European countries – and there are the problems. Now, in the ReArm initiative we also have the rules in place to ease the budget regulations so it would provide the Member States more opportunities to do more. But still the questions remain. Of course, for every country it is [in] the domestic politics, also [in] the understanding of the public [on] what needs to be done. And that is different in every Member State.
Q: [On the HR/VP proposal]
We are doing that all the time, because I think it is important to have a tangible result. So, if we are not able to decide right now for the whole year that is coming, let us decide on the short term which are the imminent needs that Ukraine has regarding the ammunition right now.
Q: What is the realistic plan?
Well, their realistic plan would be the [€]5 billion for the ammunition and that is what we are working on right now.
Thank you.
Link to the video: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/video/I-269524
Source – EEAS