Europe arming itself: Record budgets and new military alliances
London negotiates defense bank, Brussels wants its own Security Council, and Ukraine pledges $109 billion for defense.
London / Brussels / Kiev. The geopolitical map of Europe is undergoing a radical transformation. Against the backdrop of growing threats and uncertainty surrounding the transatlantic alliance, European capitals are taking unprecedented steps to militarize, finance defense, and restructure the security architecture.
First meeting Trump – Burnham in New York: Ukraine is on the table
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will hold his first official face-to-face meeting with US President Donald Trump next week in New York. The talks will take place on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. According to diplomatic sources for The Times (thetimes.com), the main focus of the meeting will be the future of support for Ukraine and coordination in the Middle East. The UK Prime Minister plans to discuss with Trump the possibilities of ensuring long-term stability in Eastern Europe. [1, 2, 3]
Great Britain explores joining NATO defense bank
In parallel with the diplomatic offensive, London is actively seeking new mechanisms for financing its defense industry. The Financial Times (ft.com) reports that the UK Treasury is seriously considering joining a large-scale project for a multilateral defense bank (DSRB), initiated by Canada. The institution's goal is to provide long-term and cheap financing for rearmament of allies, without drastically burdening national deficits. [1, 2]
Von der Leyen pushes for European Security Council
An institutional response to the new realities is being prepared in Brussels. The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen intends to officially call for the creation of European Security Council, reports the media network Euractiv (euractiv.com). This new body aims to speed up the EU's decision-making process in the field of defense and reduce dependence on external factors, which, according to analysts, could become a parallel structure or competitor to traditional mechanisms within NATO. [1, 2]
Ukraine votes on historic 2027 military budget
All of these processes are taking place against the backdrop of record military spending in the conflict zone itself. The Ukrainian government has approved the draft budget for 2027, in which an astronomical over 4.88 trillion hryvnias are set aside for defense and security, which is equivalent to more than 109 billion dollars. Information reported by Ukrinform (ukrinform.net) shows that military spending will absorb nearly 44% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP), making it the most militarized state plan in Kiev's modern history. [1]