The scandal in the White House did not break off relations between the US and the EU, but it shook them severely. After Donald Trump and his vice president treated Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky extremely rudely in front of the cameras, the US also stopped arms supplies to Ukraine. In an effort to oppose this, the President of the EU Council, Antonio Costa, organized an extraordinary summit.
The US - still a partner or now an adversary?
What is the US for Europe anyway? This question has been asked constantly in recent days, notes the German public broadcaster ARD and points out that the main question is: Is the US still a partner and ally or now an adversary?
It is not entirely clear at the moment. Maybe Donald Trump will change his mind again? Could Ukraine once again rely on weapons and intelligence from the US? The prospects are bleak, however.
Meanwhile, the EU wants to prepare for the worst-case scenario without completely burning its bridges to the White House. "That is why we are also actively campaigning for the US to be part of the team that supports Ukraine while it defends itself against the Russian attack", Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz said late in the evening after the meeting in Brussels, ARD reports.
Hungary did not support the declaration on Ukraine
However, the campaign has so far yielded no results, which is why the EU must and wants to take more intensive care of supporting Ukraine itself. More precisely: 26 of the 27 member states want this. The only one that is against it is Hungary - as has often happened in the past. The other heads of state and government showed no inclination to discuss a possible softened compromise text with Viktor Orbán.
Thus, 26 countries stated that they would continue to support the "independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine within its internationally recognized borders" - including by supplying weapons. In addition, as conditions for ending the war, they set both the creation of convincing security guarantees and that peace negotiations should not be conducted without Ukrainian or European representatives.
The goal is to strengthen the Ukrainian position as much as possible and thus achieve "Peace through strength", notes ARD. And Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wants to start and win the "arms race with Russia".
Where will the money and weapons come from?
The European Union, which describes itself as a "peace project", is rearming - and massively. Not only for the sake of Ukraine, but also for its own defense, the German public-law media outlet points out. This is an expression of uncertainty about what kind of protection can still be expected from the United States.
As a result, new loans for EU countries may soon be possible. For this purpose, exceptions to the existing rules will be used. This will provide room for action without the Community countries fearing punitive procedures for large debts. The European Commission is only temporarily relaxing the rules.
The EU is now trying to mobilize up to 800 billion euros for defense and support for Ukraine. But what conditions should be attached to the purchases of weapons and ammunition? Should the money be earmarked primarily for European companies, thus encouraging local industry? Or should purchases be made in the United States, hoping that Trump will abandon his current course?
French President Emmanuel Macron has long insisted on European sovereignty, ARD recalls. And now he is once again emphasizing his readiness for other countries to be protected by French nuclear weapons. He wants to announce by the summer what the options are for a nuclear shield for Europeans.
It's not just about money
However, the money earmarked for military purposes is not enough. Now we need a management team that can responsibly invest these funds, comments Sabrina Fritz from ARD. A team that can decide what weapons systems Europe needs and order them in large quantities. And yes, this can happen under the motto "Europe first".
Europe must rearm quickly, points out the German public-law media. This is a major challenge for the EU, which has so far mainly fought over charging cables, rules for the use of artificial intelligence or repair rights in the event of damage to a purchased device. But no one knows what Russian President Vladimir Putin is actually planning. How much more of Ukraine does he want to destroy? Or has he already turned his attention to NATO countries?
In the context of these uncertainties, Europe continues to need a guardian angel, the ARD commentary notes. Talks with the US must continue to be conducted sensibly - despite everything that has happened so far.
Europe is on the verge of taking its security into its own hands - led by Emmanuel Macron and Friedrich Merz: the Frenchman with his nuclear weapons, the German with his money. This combination should at least command respect in Moscow and Washington, Sabrina Fritz also comments.
Authors: Christian Feld (ARD) | Sabrina Fritz