EU Ministers Discuss Ukraine Aid, Rearmament
BRUSSELS – EU defence and foreign ministers will meet Tuesday in Brussels for successive sessions of the Foreign Affairs Council, focusing on support for Ukraine, the Middle East situation, and Europe’s rearmament plans, CE Report quotes Agerpres
In the morning, defence ministers will discuss military aid to Ukraine, including a videoconference with Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. They will also review progress on the European Defence White Paper – Readiness 2030 and the ReArm Europe Plan.
Diplomatic sources say EU nations have agreed in principle to a joint arms procurement initiative worth €150 billion under the new “SAFE” programme. This aims to bolster Europe's defence industry in key areas like missile, drone, and ammunition production, with 65% of components sourced from European manufacturers.
Non-EU countries such as Norway, Ukraine, and potentially the UK—following a new security agreement signed in London—may participate. The UK could be treated as a full European manufacturer within the programme.
The plan also includes measures to prevent foreign control over critical components, such as software in EU-produced weapons.
The agreement is set to be formalized Wednesday by EU ambassadors, with final approval expected on May 27.
Later Tuesday, foreign ministers will address the Russia-Ukraine war, following a videoconference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sibiga, and also review developments in the Middle East and Syria.
