Aarhus: President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen Thursday called on European countries to double their support for Ukraine following the United States’ decision to halt some weapons shipments to Kyiv. She emphasized the need to strengthen Europe’s defense capabilities both at the EU level and across the continent.
According to Qatar News Agency, her remarks came during a joint press conference with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in the city of Aarhus, marking Denmark’s assumption of the rotating presidency of the European Union for six months. Von der Leyen stated that the American stance is a clear message to Europe to intensify support for Ukraine and bolster its defense capabilities, noting that this support should not be limited to EU institutions but should extend across the entire continent.
For her part, Frederiksen stressed the need for European countries to take responsibility in compensating for any potential shortfall in arms supplies to Ukraine following the U.S. decision to suspend some of its military shipments to Kyiv. She warned that any American decision to halt arms supplies would be a serious setback for Ukraine, Europe, and NATO, adding that Ukraine is currently defending Europe’s security, and that providing military support is not a donation but part of rearming ourselves.
The Danish Prime Minister said that European countries must study the decisions made in Washington and fill any potential gaps, adding that Europeans must deliver what is needed on the battlefield, emphasizing the need to change the political doctrine regarding military support for Kyiv. She also reaffirmed her country’s commitment to using its EU presidency to push for Ukraine’s accession to the bloc, highlighting that Kyiv is an integral part of the European family.
Ukraine, which has been engaged in a full-scale war with Russia since February 2022, relies heavily on Western military aid, particularly from the United States. However, the U.S. announced last Tuesday the suspension of some previously promised military shipments, including missiles and ammunition, citing concerns over depleting strategic stockpiles, according to American media reports.
Alongside the decline in U.S. support, Ukraine faces another political challenge in the stalled process of joining the European Union, despite having formally applied for membership shortly after the war with Moscow began. The process has been blocked by Hungary, which used its veto power to prevent consensus within the EU on the matter.
Denmark has been among the leading European countries advocating for strengthening the EU’s defense infrastructure. It actively supported a plan launched last March to boost member states’ defense capabilities by streamlining procedures and providing loans to finance defense sector investments. Denmark has already increased its defense spending to over 3 percent of its GDP, one of the highest rates in Europe.
Meanwhile, Russia has intensified its military attacks in recent weeks amid a diplomatic stalemate and a slowdown in Western aid, which has been the backbone of Ukraine’s military effort since the war began.