In recent weeks and months, many European countries and the European Union have stepped up in creative ways to support Ukraine’s defense and counter Russia’s war of aggression. French president Emmanuel Macron refused to rule out sending French troops to Ukraine’s aid—a turn toward strategic ambiguity that threw the Kremlin off balance. Czechia’s president Petr Pavel began an initiative to quickly and efficiently source hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition from around the world to send straight to Ukraine’s frontlines, which has now been endorsed by the EU’s twenty-seven leaders. Germany has embraced a so-called “Zeitenwende” to refurbish its defense capabilities to arm Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the European Union won consensus in February on a landmark €50 billion aid package for Ukraine and new NATO allies Sweden and Finland have provided a much-needed jolt to Europe’s overall defense industrial base. European countries’ efforts are backed up by a consensus across European populaces that Ukraine’s defense is Europe’s defense, and Russia poses an existential threat to the continent.