In agreement on the conclusions reached by the leaders of the 27 EU member states during the summit in Brussels on Thursday (06.03.25), consensus was shattered by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, who vetoed a joint declaration supporting Kyiv. The European Council adopted conclusions on defense, welcoming the Commission’s proposal to activate the national escape clause of the Stability and Growth Pact as an immediate measure to facilitate significant national defense spending across all member states. The EU will accelerate mobilizing necessary resources and funding to strengthen its security and protect citizens. Conclusions emphasize enhancing overall defense readiness, reducing strategic dependencies, addressing capability gaps, and strengthening the European defense technological and industrial base. The European Council stresses the need for continued substantial increases in security and defense spending across Europe. Despite Orbán’s dissent, the leaders of 26 EU member states agreed on five essential conditions for lasting peace in Ukraine: no negotiations without Ukraine or Europe, any ceasefire must lead to a comprehensive peace agreement with strong guarantees for Ukraine, and peace must respect Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. The leaders also agreed to increase pressure on Russia through further sanctions while providing tactical and predictable economic support to Ukraine. They remain committed to providing enhanced political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military, and diplomatic support to Ukraine and its people.