Europe's leaders to hold Ukraine talks at 'turning point in history'

European Union leaders are convening in Brussels Thursday (March 6) for a critical defense summit described by French President Emmanuel Macron as a "turning point in history." 

The meeting comes at a moment of heightened anxiety across the continent following recent developments in US-Ukraine relations, BBC reports.

The summit's urgency has been amplified by US President Donald Trump's Monday announcement suspending aid to Ukraine, followed by Wednesday's decision to pause intelligence sharing with Kyiv. 

These moves have deepened European concerns about the reliability of American security guarantees in the face of Russian aggression.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has been invited to participate in the talks, which follow a tense meeting between Zelensky and Trump at the White House last week.

In a dramatic address to the French nation on Wednesday, President Macron signaled France's willingness to discuss extending its nuclear deterrent umbrella to European partners. 

This unprecedented offer echoes similar calls from Friedrich Merz, Germany's likely next chancellor, for increased nuclear sharing arrangements.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has characterized the current security environment as a "clear and present danger on a scale that none of us have seen in our adult lifetime," while European Council President António Costa termed it a "defining moment for Ukraine and European security."

The Commission has unveiled an ambitious "ReArm Europe" package with three key components:

• Allowing member states to increase national deficit levels to accommodate defense spending
• Providing €150 billion in loans for collective defense investments
• Permitting countries to redirect cohesion policy funds toward military expenditures

Additionally, the European Investment Bank would be authorized to finance military projects. Von der Leyen estimates these measures could mobilize approximately €800 billion in defense spending.

While many European leaders support decisive action, dissenting voices remain. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico has dismissed the EU's "peace through strength" approach as "unrealistic," while Hungary's Viktor Orban has demanded Ukraine be excluded from the summit's written conclusions. 

Orban, who has consistently opposed EU aid to Ukraine, claims there is a "strategic divide" between Europe and the United States regarding the conflict.

Meanwhile, UK Defence Secretary John Healey will meet with US counterpart Pete Hegseth in Washington to discuss the intelligence-sharing pause and potential peace initiatives.

In a possible attempt to foster pre-summit unity, Macron hosted Orban for dinner in Paris Wednesday evening following his sobering national address. 

During his speech, the French president emphasized that Europe must prepare for a future where American support may no longer be guaranteed, declaring that "the moment calls for unprecedented decisions."

Macron has announced plans to convene European army chiefs in Paris next week, underscoring his commitment to bolstering continental defense capabilities independently of Washington.