Europe needs to involve the United States in discussions about security and work towards fostering a closer relationship between the U.S. and Ukraine following the suspension of American military assistance to Kyiv, stated Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky on Tuesday.
Additionally, Europe must prepare to take over the support for Ukraine and enhance its security with its own capabilities, he added.
The Czech government has initiated conversations about increasing defense expenditure to 3% of GDP over the next few years, up from roughly 2% in 2024.
It has also been leading an initiative since last year to secure ammunition for Ukraine, sourcing supplies globally to support Kyiv’s battle against the Russian invasion. Lipavsky noted that this effort has ensured deliveries for the upcoming months and aims to secure additional funding from donor nations.
Since last Friday, when U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House for not expressing enough gratitude for U.S. support and their endeavors to resolve the conflict, Europe has been left to navigate security matters on its own.
On Tuesday, the European Commission introduced a proposal to borrow up to 150 billion euros ($157.76 billion) for lending to EU countries as part of a rearmament strategy prompted by Russia’s war in Ukraine and the concerns that Europe can no longer rely on U.S. defense.
In a later interview, Lipavsky praised the proposed package, indicating it could serve as a solid foundation for an EU leaders’ summit on Thursday focused on Ukraine and security matters.
“We also need to keep engaging the U.S. in discussions regarding European security and explore how we might connect Ukraine more closely with the U.S.,” Lipavsky remarked.
“We must not abandon the U.S., certainly not. However, we face this reality, and we must do what we can.”
Regarding the EU summit, he expressed his anticipation for clear stances from all 27 member states to inform future steps on security issues.
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has had disagreements with the EU on Ukrainian support, has already called for the bloc to initiate direct talks with Russia aimed at achieving a ceasefire and to abandon plans for a joint statement at the summit.
Slovakia’s Prime Minister Robert Fico, another leader advocating for rapid peace negotiations and opposing ongoing aid which prolongs the conflict, has deemed the bloc’s “peace through force” approach for Ukraine as impractical.
Under Trump’s leadership, the United States has begun discussions with Russia concerning the cessation of hostilities, but Kyiv and the EU are not included in these talks.
Lipavsky emphasized that Ukraine must be part of any discussions, stressing the importance of reaching a fair and enduring peace, while cautioning that previous ceasefires between Kyiv and Moscow have proven ineffective.
“The primary interest of the Czech Republic and, hopefully, most European nations is to ensure the halt of Russian imperialism, safeguarding the principle that borders should not be altered through brute force,” he stated.
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