World News

Ursula von der Leyen warns EU states ‘should be prepared for risks of war’ and need to ‘urgently’ rebuild their armed forces – after Macron refused to rule out sending troops to Ukraine

Ursula von der Leyen has warned that EU states ‘should be prepared for the risks of war’ and need to ‘urgently’ rebuild their armed forces after Macron refused to rule out sending troops to Ukraine.

The European Commission President said the threat of war for the EU ‘may not be imminent, but it is not impossible’.

‘The risks of war should not be overblown, but they should be prepared for and that starts with the urgent need to rebuild, replenish, modernize member states’ armed forces,’ she said.


Her comments come after French president Emmanuel Macron warned that while there was ‘no consensus’ on the sending of Western troops to Ukraine, ‘nothing should be excluded’ following a meeting of two dozen European leaders in Paris.

This caused a worrying reaction by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said if NATO members sent their troops to fight in Ukraine, ‘we would need to talk not about the probability, but about the inevitability (of a direct conflict)’.

Getting involved in the war in Ukraine with boots on the ground would break a major taboo the West has so far been reluctant to challenge – until now, NATO members have only supplied weapons to the Ukrainian army. 

Ursula von der Leyen (pictured) has warned that EU states 'should be prepared for the risks of war' and need to 'urgently' rebuild their armed forces after Macron refused to rule out sending troops to Ukraine

Ursula von der Leyen (pictured) has warned that EU states 'should be prepared for the risks of war' and need to 'urgently' rebuild their armed forces after Macron refused to rule out sending troops to Ukraine

Ursula von der Leyen (pictured) has warned that EU states ‘should be prepared for the risks of war’ and need to ‘urgently’ rebuild their armed forces after Macron refused to rule out sending troops to Ukraine


A Ukrainian artillery position fires in the direction of Bakhmut in Donetsk on Monday

A Ukrainian artillery position fires in the direction of Bakhmut in Donetsk on Monday

A Ukrainian artillery position fires in the direction of Bakhmut in Donetsk on Monday

While French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal reaffirmed Macron’s comments saying: ‘You can’t rule anything out in a war,’ Downing Street said there were no plans for ‘large-scale’ troop deployment to Ukraine.

A NATO official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, also emphasised ‘there are no plans for NATO combat troops on the ground in Ukraine’ despite the ‘unprecedented military support’ from the alliance.

In today’s speech to the European Parliament, Von der Leyen also revealed insight into a new European Industrial Defence Strategy that her commission will present in the coming weeks, saying one of its main aims would be to prioritise joint procurement.


‘Europe should strive to develop and manufacture the next generation of battle-winning operational capabilities,’ she said. ‘That means turbo-charging our defence industrial capacity in the next five years.’

She said greater European efforts in defence would not diminish the need for the NATO alliance. ‘In fact, a more sovereign Europe, in particular on defence, is vital to strengthening NATO,’ she added.

She also said that the EU should consider using profits from frozen Russian assets to buy military supplies for Ukraine. 

‘It is time to start a conversation about using the windfall profits of frozen Russian assets to jointly purchase military equipment for Ukraine,’ she told the European Parliament in a speech urging the EU to do more on defence policy.


‘There could be no stronger symbol and no greater use for that money than to make Ukraine and all of Europe a safer place to live.’

Macron also urged to do more to support Ukraine in the war with Russia, saying that ‘we have seen hardening on the part of Russia, especially these past few months’.

He said this had manifested itself in February 16 death in custody of President Vladimir Putin’s top opponent Alexei Navalny, but also in a hardening of Russia’s positions on the frontlines, where it was planning ‘new attacks’.

Macron said a ‘leap’ was needed from the West in its approach that ‘takes into account the transformation of the threat from a military and strategic point of view’.


Her comments come after French president Emmanuel Macron (pictured) warned that while there was 'no consensus' on the sending of Western troops to Ukraine, 'nothing should be excluded' following a meeting of two dozen European leaders in Paris

Her comments come after French president Emmanuel Macron (pictured) warned that while there was 'no consensus' on the sending of Western troops to Ukraine, 'nothing should be excluded' following a meeting of two dozen European leaders in Paris

Her comments come after French president Emmanuel Macron (pictured) warned that while there was ‘no consensus’ on the sending of Western troops to Ukraine, ‘nothing should be excluded’ following a meeting of two dozen European leaders in Paris 

Ukrainian servicemen from the assault brigade 'Bureviy' (Hurricane), a unit of the Ukrainian National Guard, shoot the 105 mm Italian OTO Melara Mod 56 Pack Howitzers from their positions in the Avdiivka direction, at an undisclosed location in the Donetsk area, eastern Ukraine, February 27

Ukrainian servicemen from the assault brigade 'Bureviy' (Hurricane), a unit of the Ukrainian National Guard, shoot the 105 mm Italian OTO Melara Mod 56 Pack Howitzers from their positions in the Avdiivka direction, at an undisclosed location in the Donetsk area, eastern Ukraine, February 27

Ukrainian servicemen from the assault brigade ‘Bureviy’ (Hurricane), a unit of the Ukrainian National Guard, shoot the 105 mm Italian OTO Melara Mod 56 Pack Howitzers from their positions in the Avdiivka direction, at an undisclosed location in the Donetsk area, eastern Ukraine, February 27

Macron's remarks caused a worrying reaction by Putin (pictured) spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said if NATO members sent their troops to fight in Ukraine, 'we would need to talk not about the probability, but about the inevitability (of a direct conflict)'

Macron's remarks caused a worrying reaction by Putin (pictured) spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said if NATO members sent their troops to fight in Ukraine, 'we would need to talk not about the probability, but about the inevitability (of a direct conflict)'

Macron’s remarks caused a worrying reaction by Putin (pictured) spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who said if NATO members sent their troops to fight in Ukraine, ‘we would need to talk not about the probability, but about the inevitability (of a direct conflict)’

But Macron's comments about NATO considering sending boots on the ground, a possible plan that was revealed by pro-Moscow Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (pictured right with Macron, left) ahead of the meeting, were met with warnings by Russia

But Macron's comments about NATO considering sending boots on the ground, a possible plan that was revealed by pro-Moscow Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (pictured right with Macron, left) ahead of the meeting, were met with warnings by Russia

But Macron’s comments about NATO considering sending boots on the ground, a possible plan that was revealed by pro-Moscow Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico (pictured right with Macron, left) ahead of the meeting, were met with warnings by Russia


He added that NATO ‘will do whatever it takes to ensure that Russia cannot win this war’. 

The French leader announced new steps to boost Kyiv in its battle against Vladimir Putin’s troops, including sending missiles and bombs to the country.

Macron said the new coalition would be set up to supply Ukraine with ‘missiles and bombs of medium and long range to carry out deep strikes’. 

There was a ‘broad consensus to do more and quicker’, he added. ‘Nothing can be excluded to achieve our objective. Russia cannot win that war.’


Macron also said there was consensus that ‘the defeat of Russia is indispensable to security and stability’ on the continent. Russia, he said, was showing a ‘more aggressive attitude not just in Ukraine but in general’. 

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Polish President Andrzej Duda were among around 25 European heads of state and government at the conference in the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Other states sent ministers, with foreign secretary David Cameron in Paris for Britain, and the United States and Canada were also represented.

But Macron’s comments about NATO considering sending boots on the ground, a possible plan that was revealed by pro-Moscow Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico ahead of the meeting, were met with warnings by Russia.


‘The very fact of discussing the possibility of sending certain contingents to Ukraine from NATO countries is a very important new element,’ Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said when questioned about Macron’s remarks.

Peskov said that the West should ask themselves if such a scenario was in the interests of their countries and their peoples.

Western officials have already acknowledged that Russia risks gaining the upper hand in the conflict this year as Ukraine runs out of weapons and ammunition.

Ukrainian servicemen of the 68th Separate Jager Infantry Brigade 'Oleksa Dovbush' fire a howitzer towards Russian positions, at an undisclosed location in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, on Monday

Ukrainian servicemen of the 68th Separate Jager Infantry Brigade 'Oleksa Dovbush' fire a howitzer towards Russian positions, at an undisclosed location in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, on Monday

Ukrainian servicemen of the 68th Separate Jager Infantry Brigade ‘Oleksa Dovbush’ fire a howitzer towards Russian positions, at an undisclosed location in the Donetsk region, eastern Ukraine, on Monday


French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech to open a conference in support of Ukraine with European leaders and government representatives at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, on February 26

French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech to open a conference in support of Ukraine with European leaders and government representatives at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, on February 26

French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech to open a conference in support of Ukraine with European leaders and government representatives at the Elysee presidential palace in Paris, on February 26

A Ukrainian soldier prepares in a shelter to fire artillery in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine

A Ukrainian soldier prepares in a shelter to fire artillery in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine

A Ukrainian soldier prepares in a shelter to fire artillery in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine

Ukrainian Defence Minister Rustem Umerov said on Sunday that half of the Western military aid pledged to Kyiv is delivered late, noting that ‘commitment does not constitute delivery’. 

Revealing the magnitude of Ukraine’s human losses, Zelensky said 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers had been killed in the war with Russia.


A French presidential official, who asked not to be named, said the meeting needed to contradict any ‘impression that things are falling apart’ after Ukraine’s setbacks on the battlefield.

‘We want to send a clear message to Putin that he will not prevail in Ukraine,’ the official said.

There are growing doubts about the viability of long-term US backing for Ukraine as a new aid package struggles to find legislative approval and Donald Trump, who has indicated opposition to further support for Kyiv, eyes a return to the presidency in elections this year.

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