Ukraine's role key to Europe’s future defense system

This highlights Ukraine’s critical role in Europe’s security system, as well as Europe’s role in guaranteeing Ukraine’s security.

Regardless of the outcome of today’s talks between Putin and Trump, Ukraine’s fate depends primarily on Europe’s future. Here lies our future and our closest allies.

As it becomes evident, it is Europeans who will determine the security guarantees for Ukraine as part of a much broader European defense system.

The war in Ukraine and the return of Donald Trump have forced Europe to create its own autonomous defense system and economic independence.

The EU’s guarantees of economic stability, which were based on cheap Russian gas and U.S. military protection for decades, vanished almost instantly.

To regain these guarantees, Europe must create its own powerful armed forces capable of conducting full-scale military operations without U.S. involvement. We are already witnessing these processes.

Germany has just voted to lift the constitutional restriction on military funding. The European Commission has relaxed budgetary criteria to give EU countries more opportunities to fund defense. Ursula von der Leyen’s presented plan for additional military spending, amounting to €800 billion, with €650 billion financed by national budgets, will be implemented.

France, the only EU country with nuclear weapons, has its own independent intelligence system (DGSE) and is the EU’s sole representative on the UN Security Council.

While France’s nuclear umbrella cannot fully replace the U.S. one, it could serve as the basis for future European nuclear forces. At least, Friedrich Merz, the future German Chancellor, has already supported this idea.

Other European countries, including Turkey as a NATO member, are making significant contributions to strengthening Ukraine’s defense. Even Hungary, despite its controversial stance, recently supported the ReArm Europe program to rearm Europe, as there is no alternative.

It is still difficult to predict what the new European security system will look like. Will it become part of an agreement between EU countries, or lead to the creation of a parallel entity with the UK and Norway, but without countries that hinder processes?

But it is clear that Ukraine will play a key role in this system. Ukraine has the largest army in Europe with real combat experience, and it is protecting the eastern flank, where the greatest threats to European security are concentrated.

Any European defense system will be impossible without Ukraine. And Ukraine will make Europe strong and capable of self-defense.

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About the author: Mykola Kniazhytskyi, journalist, Member of Parliament of Ukraine.

The editorial board does not always share the views expressed by the authors of blogs or columns.