EU support may fade against the backdrop of US aid to Ukraine.

European diplomats believe renewed support from Washington risks weakening the EU’s urgency to provide aid, particularly in strengthening Ukraine’s air defense system. So far, only a few EU countries have publicly responded to Berlin’s call to send air defense systems to Ukraine, although diplomats say some countries may provide such support through the private sector.

Currently, six EU countries possess Patriot systems – Germany, Poland, Greece, Romania, Spain, and the Netherlands.

However, after a telephone conversation with Joe Biden on April 22, EC President Ursula von der Leyen said: “I told President Biden that this decision will encourage Europe to further strengthen its own military support for Ukraine.”

In the long term, the US aid package does not change the situation in which Europe finds itself. The bloc must strengthen its support for Ukraine and its defense capabilities rather than relying on the US security umbrella.

The publication emphasizes that the prospect of Donald Trump’s return to the White House has helped to shape the EU’s rethinking of its security capabilities.