Now, the current priorities of the EU executive are to increase European defense skills and strengthen military support for Ukraine.
Since Russia has invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the EU has provided considerable financial, humanitarian and military aid, which represents more than half of all international aid in Ukraine. EU military support has reached 49.3 billion euros and Member States, except Hungary, agree to continue providing weapons. Some states, such as France and the United Kingdom, take into consideration the sending of troops to Ukraine after a possible peace agreement, although this remains a controversial question.
Not having unified military force, the EU depends on NATO for its defense, since 23 EU members are also part of the alliance. However, US military spending represents two thirds of total expenditure in defense of other NATO countries.
Faced with the growing fear that the United States reduce its participation, the EU approved the plan in March Reorganizes Europewhose goal is to mobilize 800,000 million euros for the defense from here to 2030.
European ambitions in defense should take time to materialize and, in the meantime, many experts believe that supporting Ukraine is essential to guarantee Europe’s safety. Ukrainian soldiers, such as Arthur, under of the 38th brigadier, show that the conflict does not affect the freedom of Ukraine, but for the safety of all of Europe. Arthur warns that pauseing the conflict, in the case of a truce, would not resolve the territorial question and, moreover, could lead to new territorial requests from Russia, which endangered the stability of Europe.
The same thinks that Maksym, a Ukrainian official of civil cooperation that underlines that giving in to the territorial requests of Russia would only leave Ukraine in a situation of vulnerability to a new invasion of the country. Several European leaders share the concern that Russia’s ambitions were extended beyond Ukraine.
The result of the war will be crucial for the European continent. But the EU, which is excluded from the current conversations on the truce with Washington and Moscow, could have something to say about it?
According to Steven Everts, director of the Institute for Security Studies, the best thing that the European Union can do is support Ukraine and prevent any agreement that sinks its territorial integrity or sovereignty.
On the other hand, Everts suggests practical measures that the EU could adopt, such as providing better formation for Ukrainian forces in Ukrainian or improving Ukraine air defense capacity to resist Russian bombings. As for the idea of sending European troops to the ground, it recommends not being considered a mission of “maintaining peace”. “In this struggle there is no neutrality. We are from Ukraine,” says Steven Everts. “Do you have to think about how: can we strengthen the ability that Ukraine defends itself?” Concludes.
