Brussels seeks "peaceful strength" in Ukraine, rearms — EC head
The ReArm Europe Plan gives the EU member states the opportunity to invest in the Ukrainian defense industry or to procure military capabilities that go directly to Ukraine
BRUSSELS, March 6. /TASS/. Brussels wants peace in Ukraine through force, which is why it intends to arm the entire European Union, said head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
"We want a peaceful strength, and this is the reason why I present today to the leaders the ReArm Europe Plan. The ReArm Europe Plan provides up to 800 billion euros for defense investment," she said at a joint media briefing with Vladimir Zelensky and head of the European Council Antonio Costa before an emergency EU summit in Brussels.
"It provides the member states with fiscal space to invest in defense. It gives the member states the opportunity to invest in the Ukrainian defense industry or to procure military capabilities that go directly to Ukraine."
Costa promised again that the EU was, is, and will continue to stand with Ukraine until peace talks and then until its future integration into the EU. Zelensky limited himself to expressing thanks this time.
The arrival of von der Leyen, Costa, and Zelensky at the summit was carefully staged. They arrived at the European Council building together and walked to the leaders' arrival hall on the red carpet in view of journalists and cameras, but out of earshot. They stopped at a distance and stood for five minutes, actively conversing and exchanging smiles and gestures of approval to each other. Although they were positioned in a triangle facing each other, the camera of the press service of the European Council, which carried out an Internet broadcast of the leaders' arrival, captured several rounds, showing their faces in close-up.
All the journalists who watched this scene felt that it was an attempt to contrast the picture with footage from the Oval Office last week, where Zelensky held a conversation with US President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance, but in an extremely contentious style, while cameras were pulling away.