Dec 17, 2025 - World

Ukraine's defense minister warns Europe: Act now

Colin Demarest

Two flags waving on flagpoles against a clear blue sky and bare trees: the Ukraine flag on the left with blue and yellow horizontal stripes, and the European Union flag on the right with yellow stars in a circle on blue. — The flags of Ukraine and the European Union wave in the wind in Berlin. Photo: Kay Nietfeld/picture alliance via Getty Images

Europe must quickly acknowledge a "new reality" in which it must "take responsibility for its own security," Ukrainian Defense Minister Denys Shmyhal said at the Washington edition of the Aspen Security Forum.

"After decades of sleep," he added, "hesitation is a luxury Europe cannot afford."

Why it matters: The appeal comes directly from the front lines of war with Russia — a country already sabotaging projects across Europe — and amid uneasy transatlantic attitudes.

Both Kyiv and Brussels have felt the whiplash of America's security-aid rollercoaster.

Context: Chatter of European rearmament gained significant steam this year. Four factors worth considering:

Defense-tech investments and advancements, like Helsing's factory in southern Germany and the rollout of its CA-1 Europa drone wingman.
Renewed nuclear weapons debates in France and Poland, among other locales.
New NATO spending agreements, including a spinoff for critical infrastructure.
The Trump administration's latest national security strategy, which was applauded by Moscow.

The bottom line: "We are living in an era that historians will later call an order transition: a shift from one world order to another. Such transitions are rare; they happen once every 30-50 years, and they are never smooth," Shmyhal said.

"Russia has fully mobilized its war machine. And make no mistake, the Kremlin is not just testing Ukraine. The Kremlin is testing Europe and the West."

Go deeper: Trump's new cold war with Europe

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Ukraine's defense minister warns Europe: Act now

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