Leaders endorse Ursula von der Leyen proposal as French president calls Vladimir Putin ‘an imperialist who seeks to rewrite history’

European leaders holding emergency talks in Brussels have agreed on a massive increase to defence spending, amid a drive to shore up support for Ukraine after Donald Trump halted US military aid and intelligence sharing.

But the show of unity was marred by Hungary’s prime minister, Viktor Orbán, failing to endorse an EU statement on Ukraine pushing back against Trump’s Russia-friendly negotiating stance.

The 26 other EU leaders, including Orbán’s ally Robert Fico, the Slovakian prime minister, “firmly supported” the statement. “There can be no negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine,” said the draft statement, a response to Trump’s attempt to sideline Europe and Kyiv.

  • commander@lemmings.worldEnglish
    9·
    2 days ago

    They could only do that with aggressors on their borders by relying far too heavily on the US.

    Not true. They can always take money from their ruling class and give it to their working class.

    • AmidFuror@fedia.io
      3·
      2 days ago

      That statement applies to minimizing defense spending. Of course you can raise revenues and spend more. If you spend less in other areas, you don’t need to.