The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, stated that Ukraine must be put in a position of strength. This should be achieved by providing the country with defense capabilities that will turn it into a so-called "steel porcupine."
This was stated by Von der Leyen in a video on social media platform X.
"We must put Ukraine in a position of strength so that it has the means to reinforce and defend itself. This essentially means turning Ukraine into a steel porcupine—one that potential invaders cannot digest," said the European Commission president after a meeting of European leaders in London.
She emphasized that the focus is not only on military supplies but also on securing Ukraine’s energy system and ensuring that, over time, the country becomes strong and resilient.
Von der Leyen also mentioned that another key topic of discussion was the urgent need for Europe to rearm.
"We really need to take significant steps. Right now, it is critically important to increase defense investments over the long term. This is essential for the security of the European Union. And we must… prepare for the worst," she said.
On March 6, during an emergency EU summit in Brussels, the European Commission president is expected to present a new plan aimed at sharply increasing defense spending across all 27 EU countries. She specified that the plan would include three key elements:
- easing fiscal rules to enable more public funding,
- leveraging common European Union funds,
- expanding the role of the European Investment Bank.
Earlier today, following the European leaders’ meeting in London, Ukraine and the UK signed a major security and defense agreement. Notably, a £1.6 billion project will strengthen Ukraine’s air defense by 2030.
