EU Proposes Creating European Security Council with Ukraine as a Member

The European Commission has proposed creating a European Security Council — a new format for coordinating the actions of European states and partners in response to security threats.

Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, stated this during her annual address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

In addition to EU member states, the new format is expected to involve Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Norway, Canada, and other partners.

“Europe needs its own counter-hybrid playbook. We urgently need a consensus on how to respond to certain incidents,” von der Leyen stated.

At the same time, the European Commission proposes establishing an Emergency Security Protocol similar to Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty. If activated, an EU member state would promptly hold consultations and coordinate a joint response to the threat.

The framework would primarily address hybrid incidents, including acts of sabotage, cyberattacks, drone incursions, and other actions that do not necessarily rise to the level of direct armed aggression.

The initiative comes amid discussions in Europe about strengthening its own defense capabilities and creating security mechanisms that would complement existing NATO structures.

In March 2025, the European Union published its White Paper for European Defence, which identified Russia as a fundamental threat and set out a strategic development plan to strengthen the defense capabilities of the EU and Ukraine over the next five years.

Individual EU member states had previously supported the idea of creating a European Security Council. In January, Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence and Space, called for the creation of a 100,000-strong European Union army for the bloc’s own defense and to replace U.S. troops in Europe if necessary.

European officials have also considered the Coalition of the Willing as a potential foundation for a new military alliance without U.S. participation, with Ukraine as a potential member.

On February 14, Ursula von der Leyen said that the EU should implement Article 42(7) of the Treaty on European Union on mutual defence.

In April, during an address to participants of the meeting of the heads of state and government of the European Union in Cyprus, Volodymyr Zelensky proposed that Europe create a comprehensive defense system capable of protecting its borders and infrastructure and countering drone threats.