European defence ministers are gathering in Brussels on Monday to hammer out a unified response to Russia's ongoing aggression against Ukraine and to shore up the continent's own air and maritime security. The talks, held at the European Council, come as Moscow's forces continue to pound Ukrainian cities, with the fallout spilling across the bloc's eastern borders through rogue aircraft and drone incursions.
The ministers are expected to begin translating European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's ambitious proposal for a bloc-wide emergency protocol against hybrid threats into concrete action. That plan, unveiled during her State of the European Union address in Strasbourg, aims to create a coordinated response to the kind of sabotage, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns that have become a hallmark of Russian pressure tactics.
An EU official familiar with the security file told reporters, including our own Angela Skujins, that there is room for dialogue between the bloc and NATO, particularly on how to counter these unwanted incursions and step up defensive measures. But the perennial question of avoiding duplication between the two organisations remains a sticking point.
Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania's former foreign minister, acknowledged that duplication is a major concern, but argued that allies need to be more assertive in deploying the tools at their disposal, especially along Europe's eastern flank. His comments echo a broader sentiment among Baltic and Central European states that the threat from Moscow is not hypothetical but immediate.
The Kyiv funding gap
Beyond the immediate security concerns, Landsbergis stressed that the most significant challenge facing Europe over the next twelve months will be sustaining financial support for Ukraine. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been unequivocal: Kyiv needs €23.5 billion to keep its military in the fight. Prime Minister Serhii Koretskyi said on Sunday that around €6 billion of that sum would be covered through strict cost-cutting measures, but the rest must come from international partners.
The delicate conversation now is whether Europe should continue to condition aid on Kyiv implementing reforms, or whether it should provide more flexible access to funding. "We can argue that they need to do reforms and they will do that maybe slowly, slower than we would like to, but then the question is: Do we allow Ukraine to just stop defending themselves if they lack the money?" Landsbergis told Europe Today. "And I believe that that will be the most important question of the next year."
In a sign of progress, EU member states on Friday finally released a €6.6 billion military aid package for Ukraine that had been stalled since spring 2023, when Hungary imposed a controversial veto that paralysed the initiative. The breakthrough came after Budapest lifted its objection, but the episode highlighted the fragility of EU consensus on Ukraine policy. For more on that, see our coverage of the aid package.
Diplomatic delegations' fight for survival
Meanwhile, the EU's global diplomatic network is under scrutiny as member states negotiate the bloc's next long-term budget. Despite speculation that the bloc's delegations abroad could face deep cuts, one official told our colleague Luca Bertuzzi that such a move is politically unlikely. The idea, the official suggested, stems from an ongoing power play by the European Commission to gain fuller control over the EU's diplomatic service. The administrative costs of EU institutions abroad and the global programme are seen as the most likely casualties in the budget talks, but the delegations themselves appear safe for now.
Pope makes a mark in France
In other news, Pope Leo XIV concludes his four-day visit to France today in Metz, after travelling from Paris to the Catholic pilgrimage site of Lourdes over the weekend. In Lourdes, the pontiff waded into France's divisive debate over assisted dying, warning against "the temptation to cause death under the guise of false compassion" and invoking the "inalienable dignity of the human person". France's aid-in-dying law, which grants a right to assisted dying under strict conditions, came into force in August after years of fierce political and public debate. "What is legal is not necessarily moral," Pope Leo told crowds.
Earlier in Paris, the pontiff drew crowds estimated at around 800,000, with hundreds of babies and young children lifted towards the Popemobile to receive his blessing.
EU urges countries to curb energy demand
European Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen has urged EU governments to continue curbing energy demand to reduce gas and electricity consumption amid "exceptionally low" storage levels, according to a letter seen by Euronews. "I invite you to consider taking or continuing to take measures that can sustain injections or reduce gas and electricity demand for as long as necessary," the letter reads, noting that the situation "has not improved" since Jørgensen's first warning in March.
EU gas storage is currently around 70% full, roughly 12 percentage points below the same point last year, according to the latest figures from Gas Infrastructure Europe. Continued disruption in the Middle East and fierce competition from Asia for liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes are pushing prices up, threatening a supply crisis. Our colleague Marta Pacheco has the full story, and you can also read our analysis of the winter gas crunch.
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Separately, South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung's office has demanded an apology from Ukraine for denying an agreement to keep the transfer of two North Korean prisoners of war from its territory to Seoul confidential. Zelenskyy disclosed last week that his country had sent two North Korean soldiers to the South, adding that they were "not easy t..."
