European Union leaders are trumpeting their endorsement of a plan to free up hundreds of billions of euros to inject into their defense budgets.

European leaders agreed to surge defense spending and voiced near-unanimous support for Ukraine at an extraordinary meeting on Thursday, as the continent attempts once again to grasp control of negotiations over the war in Ukraine.

Countries that have faltered on defense spending for decades held emergency talks in Brussels to explore new ways to beef up their security and ensure future protection for Ukraine.