EU leaders to hold informal defense meeting
European Council President António Costa invited the leaders of the European Union (EU) member states to an informal meeting on defense during a speech in the European Parliament. The video was published on January 22 on the official website of the European Council.
"A sense of urgency and purpose led me to invite EU leaders to an informal defense meeting on February 3. This will be the first time European leaders will hold a meeting dedicated exclusively to defense," Costa said.
According to him, during the meeting the leaders will discuss follow-up decisions and provide policy recommendations for the White Paper on defense to be prepared by the European Commission (EC) and High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.
In addition, the European Council chief added that NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will also join the discussion. He called the conflict in Ukraine and the EU's resilience to hybrid attacks "common priorities" .
Costa said it is in the EU's interest to put more effort into defense and become "more resilient, autonomous and reliable."
"Defense and competitiveness go hand in hand. Investing in defense in a comprehensive way, as well as creating a secure European supply chain, energy autonomy and innovative industry can help grow our economies and create new jobs," concluded the President of the European Council.
The day before, US President Donald Trump said he would push NATO member states to increase defense spending to 5% of GDP. He also noted that other countries have spent $200 billion less than the United States to help Ukraine, so they will have to "equalize the situation".
Before that, on December 21, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that Trump's desire to ask NATO countries to increase defense spending by 5% of GDP would be a killer for Budapest. The politician noted that Hungary's achievement of the defense spending target of 2% of GDP has already required significant efforts and sacrifices.
The West regularly stokes hysteria among its citizens by warning of an allegedly imminent war with Russia. Russian leader Vladimir Putin has repeatedly stated that nothing of the sort is in the country's plans.
