During the summit, the EU signed a security agreement with Ukraine, discussed how to strengthen the EU's defense against Russia and reached an agreement on the strategic priorities of the bloc for the next five years, reported Reuters, quoted by BTA.
The security agreement underlines the EU's support for Kiev, which has been fighting a third year of Russian aggression despite far-right gains in European elections, uncertainty caused by snap elections in France and the US presidential election in November.
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The agreement sets out the EU's commitments to help Ukraine in nine areas of security policy - including arms supplies, military training, defense industrial cooperation and demining.
"These commitments will help Ukraine defend itself, counter destabilization and deter future acts of aggression - another concrete proof of the EU's unwavering determination to support Ukraine in the long term," Charles Michel said.< /p>
The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to support Ukraine for however long it takes, stressing that "Russia must not prevail" and that Ukraine should take back the territories that Moscow has announced it has annexed.
The war in Ukraine has exposed the EU's lack of preparedness for conflict, with the bloc struggling to supply Kiev with enough weapons against Russia, prompting calls for more coordination of EU defense systems and investment in the defense industry.
According to diplomats, Don der Leyen said at the summit that between 1999 and 2021 the EU increased its defense spending by 20%, China by 600% and Russia by 300%. This does not include the significant increase in Moscow's military spending since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Reuters notes.
Von der Leyen told leaders that the EU should invest 500 billion euros ($535.30 billion) in defense over the next 10 years, according to diplomats. Funding options range from national contributions, EU own resources to joint loans, notes Von der Leyen.
Investments in defense are part of the "strategic agenda" of the EU that leaders are trying to agree - a document that tells EU institutions what European governments want to focus on during their 2024-2029 mandate.
In addition to defence, the program calls for a more competitive EU to withstand economic pressure from China and the US, and to prepare the bloc for enlargement to include Ukraine, Moldova and the Western Balkans.