Europe needs to engage U.S., bring it closer to Ukraine, Czech minister says

5/3/2025 16:14

Europe must engage the United States in security debates and help find a way to bring it closer to Ukraine after the halt of U.S. military aid to Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on Tuesday.



Europe also needs to focus on being ready to replace U.S. support for Ukraine and on European security with its own resources, he said.



The Czech government has already started discussing plans to lift defence spending to 3% of gross domestic product in the coming years, from around 2% in 2024.



It has also led an ammunition drive since last year for Ukraine that sources supplies from around the world to aid Kyiv's fight against a Russian invasion. Lipavsky said the initiative had secured deliveries for the coming months and was seeking to secure more funding from donor countries.



Since last Friday, when U.S. President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance upbraided Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the White House - for being insufficiently appreciative of U.S. backing and their efforts to end the war - Europe has been left to scramble on security issues.