EU leaders to huddle on defense against Russia, economy, and US

BRUSSELS — 

European Union leaders stitchery connected Monday to sermon however to bolster the continent's defenses against Russia and however to grip U.S. President Donald Trump aft his determination to impose tariffs connected goods from Canada, Mexico and China.

At a royal palace-turned-conference halfway successful Brussels, the leaders of the EU's 27 nations volition besides luncheon with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and dine with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Antonio Costa, the president of the European Council of EU leaders, has billed the one-day gathering arsenic a "retreat" devoted to defence argumentation alternatively than a ceremonial summit, aiming for an unfastened treatment without immoderate authoritative declaration oregon decisions.

The archetypal league focuses connected geopolitics and relations with the United States, meaning Trump's sweeping play determination connected tariffs is definite to travel up – peculiarly arsenic EU officials fear they whitethorn soon look akin measures.

Trump, who began his 2nd word arsenic president connected Jan. 20, volition besides beryllium a large origin successful the talks connected defense, arsenic helium has demanded that European nations walk overmuch much connected their ain extortion and trust little connected the United States via the NATO information alliance.

Trump's telephone for EU subordinate Denmark to cede Greenland to the United States - and his refusal to regularisation retired subject enactment oregon economical unit to unit Copenhagen's manus - has besides added strains to trans-Atlantic ties.

The EU leaders are expected to sermon what subject capabilities they request successful the coming years, however they could beryllium funded and however they mightiness cooperate much done associated projects.

"Europe needs to presume greater work for its ain defense," Costa said successful a missive to the leaders. "It needs to go much resilient, much efficient, much autonomous and a much reliable information and defence actor."

Finding funding

The backing treatment volition beryllium particularly tough, according to diplomats, arsenic galore European countries person small country successful their nationalist finances for large spending hikes.

Some countries, specified arsenic the Baltic states and France, advocator associated EU borrowing to walk connected defense. But Germany and the Netherlands are staunchly opposed.

One compromise could beryllium to get to concern loans alternatively than grants for defence projects, according to immoderate diplomats.

European countries person ramped up defence spending successful caller years, peculiarly since Russia's 2022 penetration of Ukraine, which brought warfare to the EU's borders.

But galore EU leaders person said they volition request to walk adjacent more. Trump has said NATO's European members should spend 5% of GDP connected defence - a fig nary subordinate of the confederation including the United States presently reaches.

Last year, EU countries spent an mean of 1.9% of GDP connected defence - astir $334.48 billion, according to EU estimates.

That is simply a 30% summation from 2021, according to the EU. But it besides masks wide divergences among EU countries.

Poland and the Baltic states are among the biggest defence spenders successful GDP terms, with Warsaw starring the battalion astatine much than 4.1%, according to NATO estimates. But immoderate of the EU's biggest economies specified arsenic Italy and Spain walk overmuch little - astir 1.5% and 1.3% respectively.