Fürs Archiv: EU-Sondergipfel zur Verteidigung und zur Ukraine

Die Staats- und Regierungschefs der Europäischen Union haben sich am (heutigen) Donnerstag in Brüssel zu einem Sondergipfel getroffen, bei dem es nur um die Verteidigung Europas und die Unterstützung der Ukraine ging – vor dem Hintergrund der Abkehr der USA. Fürs Archiv und zum Wiederfinden die vereinbarten Ergebnisse (Conclusions) dieses Gipfels:

(Am Donnerstagabend noch nicht auf Deutsch verfügbar)

Die Schlussfolgerungen des Gipfels zur Stärkung der europäischen Verteidigung – auf EU-Ebene vor allem mit finanziellen Mitteln:

European Council
CONCLUSIONS
6 March 2025 20:25

European Council conclusions on European defence, 6 March 2025
II. EUROPEAN DEFENCE

1. Recalling the Versailles Declaration of March 2022 and the Strategic Compass for Security and Defence, the European Council stresses that Europe must become more sovereign, more responsible for its own defence and better equipped to act and deal autonomously with immediate and future challenges and threats with a 360° approach. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its repercussions for European and global security in a changing environment constitute an existential challenge for the European Union.

2. In this context, the European Union will accelerate the mobilisation of the necessary instruments and financing in order to bolster the security of the European Union and the protection of our citizens. In doing so, the Union will reinforce its overall defence readiness, reduce its strategic dependencies, address its critical capability gaps and strengthen the European defence technological and industrial base accordingly across the Union so that it is in a position to better supply equipment in the quantities and at the accelerated pace needed. This will also contribute to boosting European industrial and technological competitiveness.

3. Building on its previous conclusions and in line with the respective competences conferred by the Treaties, and in light of the recent letter by the President of the Commission, the European Council stresses the need to continue to substantially increase expenditure on Europe’s security and defence, and:

a) welcomes the intention of the Commission to recommend to the Council the activation, in a coordinated manner, of the national escape clause under the Stability and Growth Pact as an immediate measure, and calls on the Commission to explore further measures, taking into account the views of the Council, while ensuring debt sustainability, to facilitate significant defence spending at national level in all Member States;

b) calls on the Commission to propose additional funding sources for defence at EU level, including by means of additional possibilities and incentives offered to all Member States, on the basis of the principles of objectivity, non-discrimination and equal treatment of Member States, in the use of their current allocations under the relevant EU funding programmes, and to swiftly present relevant proposals;

c) takes note of the intention of the Commission to put forward a proposal for a new EU instrument to provide Member States with loans backed by the EU budget of up to EUR 150 billion, and invites the Council to examine this proposal as a matter of urgency;

d) welcomes the recent letter by the President of the European Investment Bank Group and the plans therein to step up its support for Europe’s security and defence industry while safeguarding its operations and financing capacity, and calls on the Board of Governors of the European Investment Bank (EIB) to urgently continue to adapt the EIB’s practices for lending to the defence industry, notably by re-evaluating the list of excluded activities and by increasing the volume of available funding in the field of security and defence;

e) underlines the importance of mobilising private financing for the defence industry and invites the Commission to consider measures in this regard, including by signalling to private investors the importance of the defence industry for Europe at large;

f) identifies the following first list of priority areas for action at EU level in the field of capabilities taking into account the lessons learned from the war in Ukraine, in accordance with the work already done in the framework of the European Defence Agency and in full coherence with NATO: air and missile defence; artillery systems, including deep precision strike capabilities; missiles and ammunition; drones and anti-drone systems; strategic enablers, including in relation to space and critical infrastructure protection; military mobility; cyber; artificial intelligence and electronic warfare;

g) underlines that the defence of all EU land, air and maritime borders contribute to the security of Europe as a whole, in particular as regards the EU’s eastern border, considering the threats posed by Russia and Belarus;

h) in addition, considering the threats on the rest of the EU borders, stresses the importance of their defence;

i) stresses the importance of more systematic aggregation of demand, harmonisation of requirements and joint procurement with the aim of reducing overall costs, ensuring standardisation and interoperability and offering European industry, including SMEs and mid-caps, greater predictability, as well as contributing to a well-functioning market for the defence industry that would better mobilise private and public investments and ensure cross-border access to defence supply chains;

j) invites the European Defence Agency, with the High Representative, the Commission and Member States, to swiftly review the appropriate processes to that end;

k) invites the co-legislators to conclude the negotiations on the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) as soon as possible;

l) underlines the importance of continued support for research, innovation and development through the European Defence Fund;

m) calls on the Commission and the co-legislators to swiftly take work forward on simplifying the legal and administrative framework, in particular for public procurement, industry cooperation, permitting and reporting requirements, in order to address all obstacles and bottlenecks hindering a rapid ramping up of the defence industry, including for SMEs and mid-caps. In this context, the European Council invites the Commission to prioritise a defence-specific simplification omnibus.

4. The European Council also recalls that a stronger and more capable European Union in the field of security and defence will contribute positively to global and transatlantic security and is complementary to NATO, which remains, for those States that are members of it, the foundation of their collective defence. It invites the Member States that are also NATO allies to coordinate ahead of the NATO Summit in June 2025. The European Council underlines the importance of working together with like-minded non-EU partners.

5. The above is without prejudice to the specific character of the security and defence policy of certain Member States, and takes into account the security and defence interests of all Member States, in accordance with the Treaties.

6. The European Council looks forward to the White Paper on the Future of European Defence, including further elements and options therein that aim to substantially boost financing for European defence and to strengthen the European defence technological and industrial base.

7. The European Council will revert to this issue at its March and June meetings.

Zum Thema Ukraine gab es zur gemeinsamen Erklärung von 26 Ländern Zustimmung – und von einem Ablehnung. Das wird zwar in den Conclusions nicht genannt, aber es ist ja bekannt: Ungarn.

European Council
CONCLUSIONS
6 March 2025 21:22

European Council conclusions on Ukraine, 6 March 2025
I. UKRAINE

1. The European Council held an exchange of views with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine.

2. The European Council discussed the latest developments as regards Ukraine. The text set out in document EUCO 10/25 was firmly supported by 26 Heads of State or Government.

3. The European Council will revert to the issue at its next meeting.

EUCO 10/25 – extract

1. The European Council held an exchange of views with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine.

2. The European Union has from the very beginning stood by Ukraine as it exercises its inherent right to self-defence against Russia’s full-scale war of aggression, and it will continue to stand by Ukraine and its people. The European Council reaffirms its continued and unwavering support for Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.

3. Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine has wider implications for European and international security. From the onset of the war, the European Union and its Member States have, with their partners and allies, underlined the need to put an end to it through a comprehensive, just and lasting peace based on the principles of the UN Charter and international law. The European Council welcomes all efforts towards achieving such a peace.

4. In view of the new momentum for negotiations that should lead to such a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, the European Council underlines the importance of the following principles:

a) there can be no negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine;

b) there can be no negotiations that affect European security without Europe’s involvement. Ukraine’s, Europe’s, transatlantic and global security are intertwined;

c) any truce or ceasefire can only take place as part of the process leading to a comprehensive peace agreement;

d) any such agreement needs to be accompanied by robust and credible security guarantees for Ukraine that contribute to deterring future Russian aggression;

e) peace must respect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

5. Achieving ‘peace through strength’ requires Ukraine to be in the strongest possible position, with Ukraine’s own robust military and defence capabilities as an essential component. This applies before, during and after negotiations to end the war. To that end, the European Union remains committed, in coordination with like-minded partners and allies, to providing enhanced political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people, and to stepping up pressure on Russia, including through further sanctions and by strengthening the enforcement of existing measures, in order to weaken its ability to continue waging its war of aggression.

6. The European Union will continue to provide Ukraine with regular and predictable financial support. In 2025, it will provide Ukraine with EUR 30.6 billion, with disbursements from the Ukraine Facility expected to reach EUR 12.5 billion, and EUR 18.1 billion under the G7 ERA initiative repaid by the windfall profits stemming from immobilised Russian assets. The European Council calls on the Commission to swiftly take all necessary measures to frontload financing under the above instruments. It also urges the Commission and Member States to use all options under the Ukraine Facility to increase financial support to Ukraine.

7. The European Council reviewed work done on the delivery of military support to Ukraine. In addition to the funds already committed for Ukraine for this year, it welcomes the readiness of Member States to urgently step up efforts to address Ukraine’s pressing military and defence needs, in particular the delivery of air defence systems, ammunition and missiles, the provision of necessary training and equipment for Ukrainian brigades, and other needs that Ukraine may have. It highlights in that regard the important role of the European Union Military Assistance Mission in support of Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine). The European Council calls on the Council to advance work swiftly on initiatives, notably that of the High Representative, to coordinate increased EU military support to Ukraine, including the military needs component of the G7 ERA initiative.

8. A Ukraine capable of defending itself effectively is an integral part of any future security guarantees. In this context, the European Union and Member States are committed to contributing to training and equipping the Ukrainian Armed Forces and to intensifying work to further support and develop Ukraine’s defence industry and deepen its cooperation with the European defence industry.

9. In the light of negotiations for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace, the European Union and Member States are ready to further contribute to security guarantees based on their respective competences and capabilities, in line with international law, including by exploring the possible use of common security and defence policy (CSDP) instruments. Security guarantees should be undertaken together with Ukraine, as well as with like-minded and NATO partners.

10. The European Council recalls that all military support as well as security guarantees for Ukraine will be provided in full respect of the security and defence policy of certain Member States and taking into account the security and defence interests of all Member States.

11. The European Council underlines the inherent right of Ukraine to choose its own destiny, based on the UN Charter and international law. The European Union will intensify support for Ukraine’s reform efforts on its path towards EU membership.

12. The European Council calls on the Commission, Slovakia and Ukraine to intensify efforts towards finding workable solutions to the gas transit issue, while taking into consideration the concerns raised by Slovakia.

13. The European Council will revert to this issue at its next meeting.