GLOBSEC’s Ukraine Support Club statement
The events of the last 48 hours have shaken the world, calling the urgent need for a decisive European response. As GLOBSEC’s Ukraine Support Club, we recognise that the statements from across the Atlantic push Europe to a critical juncture. The future of Ukraine and the security of Europe now lie in the hands of Europeans - “Europe must do the heavy lifting,” as UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated. More than ever, we must stand firmly with Ukraine in this fight.
We call for a European reaction that reflects a firm position in support of Ukraine, and propose the following actions:
Stepping up military support for Ukraine – Ukraine’s fight is Europe’s fight. We must accelerate military support for Ukraine to fight Russia on the battlefield now. Talks of ceasefire or peace cannot distract us from the primary objective: securing military advantage. This is not negotiable.
Setting European security guarantees – Europeans must jointly commit to Ukraine’s security. We must define credible, enforceable guarantees that deter aggression and provide Ukrainians with the confidence to rebuild their future within the European and transatlantic security architecture. We welcome the establishment of a coalition of the willing, preferably within NATO structures — this has been done before and remains a viable option.
Increasing defence investment – Europe—and more specifically the EU—must act swiftly and identify resources to allocate to defence. We must increase defence spending, scale up industrial production, and deepen cooperation across NATO and EU member states. The European defence industry should be treated as operating in a war economy.
Engaging in the dialogue with the U.S. – Transatlantic unity remains indispensable. We must work with Washington to ensure that Ukraine remains a priority and that European efforts complement the efforts undertaken by the Trump administration. The West must continue to show a united front in support of Ukraine.
A just peace for Ukraine is the only path to a secure and prosperous European future. Europe should lead the effort.
Kajsa Ollongren, Former Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of the Netherlands
Oleksii Reznikov, Former Minister of Defence of Ukraine
Martin Sklenár, Distinguished Fellow, GLOBSEC
Ben Wallace, Former Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom
Helena Carreirars, Former Minister of Defence of Portugal
Artis Pabriks, Former Minister of Defence of Latvia
Jaroslav Naď, Former Minister of Defence of Slovakia
Kalle Laanet, Former Minister of Defence of Estonia
Thordis Kolbrún, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iceland
Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, Former Minister of National Defence of the Hellenic Republic
