EU leaders to drum up more support for Ukraine amid appeals for a new sense of urgency

By LORNE COOK
Associated Press

BRUSSELS (AP) — European Union leaders are set Thursday to underscore their support for war-torn Ukraine. The aim is to help boost arms production and to prove to Russia that they are in it for the long haul. Ukraine’s munition stocks are desperately low. Russia has more and better-armed troops. There is also a growing awareness that the EU must provide for its own security, with election campaigning in the U.S. raising questions about Washington’s commitment to its allies. EU Council President Charles Michel says the Europeans “face a pivotal moment. Urgency, intensity and unwavering determination are imperative.” New plans are on the table, notably to use the profits from frozen Russian assets to buy Ukraine arms and ammunition.