- UK summit aims to counter Trump-Zelenskyy rift with €2.4B defense pledge
- Macron warns Russia may target Moldova without Western unity
- EU commits to 35% increase in joint arms production by 2025
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer opened Sunday's critical gathering of 15 European nations by announcing immediate artillery shipments to Ukrainian forces struggling against renewed Russian offensives. The emergency session follows Friday's disastrous White House meeting where former President Trump publicly criticized Zelenskyy's battlefield strategy, creating uncertainty about continued US ammunition deliveries.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen revealed plans for a continent-wide defense industrial base during her keynote address: By 2025, we'll produce 1.3 million artillery shells annually – triple current output. This surge protects both Ukraine and European sovereignty.Analysts note this marks the first concrete response to Washington's stalled $61B aid package, delayed since February.
French intelligence sources provided summit attendees with satellite imagery showing Russian troop concentrations 18km from Moldova's Transnistria region, validating Macron's warnings about Kremlin expansion. Putin won't stop at Odesa,the French president stated. If Chisinau falls, we'll face Russian drones over Constanta within months.Romania has since activated Phase 1 of its Danube Delta defense plan.
The proposed Anglo-French ceasefire roadmap includes three phased conditions verified by NATO monitors:
- Immediate Russian withdrawal from Kharkiv Oblast
- UN-supervised referendums in occupied territories
- Multilateral security pact covering Black Sea shipping lanes
Industry data shows European defense contractors have added 84,000 jobs since February – a 22% sector growth outpacing tech hiring. Germany's Rheinmetall recently broke ground on a 500-acre munitions plant near Leipzig, part of a broader €47B EU defense infrastructure initiative.
