EU Ministers Meet in Brussels on Ukraine Aid, Hybrid Threats and Middle East

European Union foreign affairs and defence ministers convened in Brussels on Monday for a round of talks centred on military backing for Ukraine, hybrid threats and the security situation in the Middle East.

The meeting was chaired by the EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, and brought together defence ministers from across the bloc, including Ireland's Helen McEntee, Estonia's Martin Herem and Sweden's Pal Jonson, alongside EU Commissioner for Defence and Space Andrius Kubilius.

Discussions on Ukraine covered continued EU defence support, with air defence, the bloc's military training mission and cooperation between European and Ukrainian defence industries on the table. Ministers also took up measures to counter hybrid threats and Russia's so-called shadow fleet.

Speaking ahead of the talks, Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson cautioned that EU loans should not crowd out bilateral assistance to Kyiv. He said bilateral support remains essential and that burden-sharing must continue, noting that the heaviest contributions currently come from the Nordics, Germany and the Netherlands. He urged more member states to step up their own bilateral efforts, describing support for Ukraine as both morally right and a smart investment in Europe's own security.

Irish Defence Minister Helen McEntee said talks with Russia would eventually need to begin, but insisted they could not come at any cost. Any engagement, she said, must not undermine Ukraine's territorial integrity, and must be accompanied by security guarantees not only for Ukraine but for the wider EU. She added that discussions should start without preconditions, and that Europe must be part of any negotiations that affect the bloc and its member states, vowing continued engagement with President Trump on the matter.

The agenda also included an exchange of views on the Middle East and a discussion on public procurement in the defence sector.