We urgently need to rearm Europe, said today the president of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, one of the first European officials to express her reaction after the end of the summit on Ukraine in London.
She said the leaders had a "good and honest discussion", looking at what is needed to secure a strong position for Ukraine.
According to her, Ukraine needs "comprehensive security guarantees" that would support its economic and military positions, the Guardian reported.
Von der Leyen stressed that Europe urgently needs to rearm and that the European Commission will propose a plan for this at the European Council on March 6, because, as she pointed out, "we really have to seriously step up our efforts."
"Now it is of utmost importance to increase investment in defense for a longer period of time." This is due to the security of the European Union, and it is necessary...in the geostrategic environment in which we live, to prepare for the worst and therefore it is necessary to strengthen the defense," she said.
Asked about her message to the US, she said: "We are ready, together with you, to defend democracy and the principle that there is a rule of law, that you cannot invade...and harass your neighbor or you cannot change borders by force."
"It is in our common interest to prevent future wars." von der Leyen added.
Using somewhat unusual terminology, Von der Leyen said that Europeans must work to "turn Ukraine into a prickly pig that is inconvenient for potential aggressors," according to the Guardian.
The summit on Ukraine, which lasted approximately two hours and was attended by the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky and more than 10 European leaders, ended in London.
Source: H1
