BRUSSELS/LONDON - European Union (EU) leaders on Thursday greenlighted plans to enhance the bloc's defense capabilities and reaffirmed their support for Ukraine.

At a one-day special summit here, the leaders endorsed the ReArm Europe plan introduced by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday.

The EU leaders agreed to activate the national escape clause under the Stability and Growth Pact in a coordinated manner, which allows for increased defense spending and provides immediate budgetary flexibility across EU member states, according to a statement released after the meeting.

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They called on the Commission to explore further measures, while ensuring debt sustainability, to facilitate significant defense spending at the national level in all member states.

The leaders also acknowledged the Commission's proposal for a new EU instrument that would offer member states up to 150 billion euros ($161.8 billion) in loans backed by the EU budget, according to the statement. They urged the European Council to "examine this proposal as a matter of urgency".

Trump has been pressing European partners to take more responsibility for their own defense, warning that the US may not protect its North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) allies who fail to meet spending targets. His remarks have raised concerns in the EU, prompting calls for stronger collective defense efforts.

In a separate statement, 26 EU leaders expressed their support for Ukraine, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban notably absent from the agreement.

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The leaders approved the bloc's stance that there can be no negotiations on Ukraine without Ukraine and that the Europeans must be involved in any talks involving their security. The EU has recently found itself sidelined in the peace talks, while the US takes center stage in the negotiations.

They also vowed to continue financial support for Ukraine, committing 30.6 billion euros in 2025. Of this, 12.5 billion euros will be disbursed through the Ukraine Facility, while 18.1 billion euros will come from profits generated from immobilized Russian assets, according to the statement.

UK seals drone deal

The United Kingdom (UK) has finalized a 30 million pounds ($38.70 million) deal with defense tech company Anduril to supply Ukraine with advanced attack drones, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Thursday.

The agreement was secured during UK Defense Secretary John Healey's visit to Anduril's Washington DC facility ahead of talks with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the Pentagon.

Under the deal, Ukraine will receive Altius 600m and Altius 700m drones, classified as "loitering munitions" capable of surveilling designated areas and striking targets. Deliveries of drones, launchers, and spare parts will commence in the coming months, the statement said.

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The deal is funded through the UK-administered International Fund for Ukraine (IFU), which is supported by pledges from 10 nations, now totals 1.3 billion pounds, with the UK contributing 500 million pounds.

The agreement comes amid concerns over the US decision to halt intelligence-sharing with Ukraine, potentially hampering Kyiv's access to critical data.

 The UK has emphasized its continued military support for Ukraine. Since July 2024, the UK has provided over 5.26 billion pounds in military and financial aid to Ukraine, including 10,000 drones already deployed.