UK, Turkey, Canada, Norway and Iceland ready to contribute to EU efforts on defence and Ukraine

Brussels – Close coordination between the European Union and some key non-EU partners continues, now that confidence in the historic U.S. ally and its umbrella protecting the West is waning. In the aftermath of the extraordinary European Council on Ukraine and defense, the leaders of the European institutions, Antonio Costa, Ursula von der Leyen and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Kaja Kallas, met with the leaders of the United Kingdom, Turkey, Canada, Norway and Iceland to take stock of the situation. And the five non-EU countries supported the results of the summit.

“Von der Leyen and I briefed” the British prime ministers, Keir Starmer, Norwegian, Jonas Gahr Store, Icelandic, Kristrún Frostadóttir, Canadian, Justin Trudeau, and the Turkish president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, “on the important decisions taken by the European Council last night and on our meeting with Zelensky,” European Council President Costa explained. He added, “Together with our partners in Europe, across the Atlantic and beyond, we must work to support Ukraine and ensure a just and lasting peace.”

During the meeting, the three EU representatives “stressed the importance of cooperation with like-minded NATO partners to support Ukraine and ensure a just and lasting peace, and for European security and defense,” European sources explain. Costa reportedly outlined the European Council’s conclusions on Ukraine, while von der Leyen—godmother of the Rearm Europe plan—focused more on defence. Starmer, Erdogan, Trudeau, and others reportedly “welcomed this initiative, stressing the importance of close coordination among partners,” congratulating the EU “on the key decisions taken.”

In addition, they “expressed their determination to contribute to joint efforts to support Ukraine and to intensify defence cooperation” and “stressed the importance of NATO and the need for close complementarity of all work.”

Von der Leyen also separately updated the secretary general of the Atlantic Alliance, Mark Rutte. In a post on X, the leader reiterated that “the Rearm Europe plan will enhance key capability areas, from air and missile defense to cyber warfare, in line with NATO priorities. This will strengthen both Europe’s defence and the transatlantic partnership.”