European Union Regroups and Rearms

Leaders from the European Union’s 27 member states will meet in Brussels on Thursday to find ways to succour Ukraine and to rethink some of its own security arrangements. Europe is hastily adjusting its thinking on defence as American policy under President Donald Trump looks ever-less predictable. A plan will be presented for the EU to help member states borrow from a fund of €150 billion ($161 billion) to spend on defence, some of which would be used to boost Ukraine’s war effort. EU fiscal rules that constrain spending also look likely to be relaxed so that national governments can splurge up to 1.5% of GDP more on defence.