As European Union (EU) leaders gather in Brussels for a crucial summit on defense, French President Emmanuel Macron has sounded the alarm, warning that Europe is at a “turning point in history.” The summit, marked by mounting security concerns, follows U.S. President Donald Trump’s controversial decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine and scale back intelligence sharing, leaving European leaders questioning the reliability of U.S. support.
Amidst escalating fears over European security, Macron has floated the idea of extending France’s nuclear deterrence to EU partners. This comes in response to growing concerns that Europe must take greater responsibility for its own defense. Germany’s likely next chancellor, Friedrich Merz, has also supported discussions on nuclear sharing, signaling a possible shift in the region’s security framework.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reinforced the urgency of the moment, describing the security crisis as a “clear and present danger on a scale that none of us have seen in our adult lifetime.” In response, the Commission unveiled the ReArm Europe initiative, an ambitious defense package aimed at fortifying European military capabilities. The plan includes allowing nations to increase their defense spending, providing €150 billion in loans for key military investments, and enabling EU states to redirect funds from cohesion programs to defense projects. The initiative could potentially unlock up to €800 billion in new defense expenditures.
The summit is expected to be contentious, with Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban openly opposing EU military support for Ukraine. Orban, a known ally of Trump, has criticized Europe’s approach as “prolonging the war” and has attempted to exclude Ukraine from summit conclusions. Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico has also expressed skepticism about the EU’s military strategy, calling it “unrealistic.”
Meanwhile, Macron has positioned himself as a key mediator, hosting Orban for dinner in Paris ahead of the summit. He emphasized that while Europe hopes to maintain U.S. support, it must prepare for a future in which it may need to stand alone.
As the summit unfolds, the question remains: Will Europe take decisive steps to secure its future, or will internal divisions hinder its path forward?
