<h6><strong>Ane Barcos</strong></h6> <h4><strong>One day after the presentation of the White Paper on Defense and the first proposals for the plan to rearm Europe, the defense debate among the 27 concluded with concise conclusions that highlighted the urgency of strengthening Europe's military preparedness over the next five years. Differences over financing and the term "rearmament" marked the day, along with Hungary's opposition to support for Ukraine, which again prevented a unified position from being reached.</strong></h4> Brussels on Wednesday detailed its proposals to strengthen European military capabilities through new financial instruments that would allow member states to significantly increase their defense spending, paving the way for the heads of state and government to resume the defense debate launched at the extraordinary summit held on March 6 during this Thursday's European Summit. Despite the magnitude of the initiative, the defense conclusions only included three points. In them, the European Council urged accelerated work in all areas to decisively strengthen Europe's defense preparedness over the next five years. <h5><strong>Differences over the concept of "rearmament" and the financing of the plan</strong></h5> The plan promoted by Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has generated nuances and reservations among European leaders. One of the points of contention was the use of the term "rearmament," which some consider inappropriate. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez explicitly rejected this term: "I don't like it at all; I don't agree with that term." In his opinion, the EU must explain the need to strengthen its defense capabilities using different language, more familiar to citizens. Along the same lines, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the term as "misleading" and emphasized that the goal is not to buy more weapons, but to increase production and improve defense infrastructure. However, Meloni went further in her criticism of the Rebuild Europe plan, questioning its debt-based approach and lack of integration with NATO, which she argued could run counter to Italy's national interests. Instead, she advocated a defense strategy that combines fiscal discipline with close transatlantic collaboration. But the differences are not limited to terminology. The debate over financing defense reinforcements also divided member states. Countries such as Spain, Italy, Greece, and Poland advocate complementing loans with grants, arguing that loans, when repaid individually by the countries that request them, could increase inequalities within the bloc, while grants, financed collectively, would ease the burden on states with less fiscal space. Meanwhile, Dutch Prime Minister Dick Schoof stressed the importance of preserving sustainable debt and financial stability, reiterating his country's opposition to eurobonds. "This is nothing new; it's what we have consistently maintained," Schoof emphasized. <h5><strong>Hungary Again Vetoes Conclusions on Ukraine, Kallas Plan Fails</strong></h5> Support for Ukraine again dominated the debate, but failed to achieve complete unanimity. While 26 Member States supported the conclusions on support for Kyiv, Hungary again distanced itself. Council President António Costa tried to downplay the impact of the disagreement, stating that "we must respect differences" without "being blocked because Hungary thinks differently." "Two weeks ago, we adopted very clear conclusions on Ukraine, and today we have followed the same approach to remain united, respecting our disagreements," added the Portuguese president. Regarding support for Kyiv, EU High Representative Kaja Kallas's proposal to mobilize up to €40 billion in new military support for Ukraine was also on the table. Aware of the difficulty of achieving the ambitious initial financial goal, the head of European diplomacy argued that political support for Ukraine remains firm, but that it must now be translated into concrete actions. She acknowledged that concerns about national deficits complicate financial commitments and emphasized that, although a long-term agreement seems difficult, "at least immediate decisions should be made to cover urgent needs, such as the provision of ammunition." This was precisely the request of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in his video call to European leaders: "We need funds for missiles and we would appreciate Europe's support with at least €5 billion as soon as possible." <h5><strong>A competitive Europe will be a stronger Europe</strong></h5> Beyond the defense and support for Ukraine, economic competitiveness was another central focus of the day. The leaders agreed that strengthening competitiveness is key to the prosperity and stability of the European social model. To this end, they agreed to accelerate the economic agenda with measures in three priority areas. On the one hand, they set a goal of reducing the administrative burden in the EU by at least 25%, and up to 35% in the case of SMEs. They also reaffirmed their commitment to energy sovereignty and the climate transition, welcoming the Affordable Energy Action Plan presented by the Commission. The Council underscored the urgency of completing the Capital Markets Union and the Banking Union to channel hundreds of billions of euros into strategic investments. The leaders concluded that a more competitive Europe will be a stronger Europe, capable of better protecting its citizens and maintaining its influence on the global stage. By October 2025, the European Council is scheduled to assess the progress made in these areas.
