The European Union is Betting on Rearming
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (C), March 6, 2025. X/ @kwmcnamee
March 6, 2025 Hour: 12:29 pm
EU leaders are convinced they can beat Russia in the ‘new arms race.’
On Thursday, the leaders of the European Union (EU) expressed their desire to strengthen Europe’s defense capabilities at a time when the United States is distancing itself from the bloc.
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The leaders made these remarks upon their arrival at the EU emergency summit being held in Brussels, where they are set to discuss European defense and support for Ukraine.
“Europe has lost a lot of time, but everything can change today,” said Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, calling for a renewed arms race to defeat Russia. He also dared to assert that all Europeans “are determined to accept this challenge.”
“I am convinced that Russia will lose this race, just as the Soviet Union lost a similar arms race 40 years ago. This is the only way to prevent a larger-scale conflict,” he stressed.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz defended the need for the European Union to modify its fiscal stability rules so that the 27 member states can increase defense spending in the long term, not just in the coming years. He called for “ensuring that support for Ukraine continues,” both economically and militarily.
Scholz also urged “a cool head” to secure U.S. support for Kyiv, just as President Donald Trump has frozen military and intelligence assistance.
“This must be the main priority in the coming days,” the German leader continued, emphasizing that “it is evident” Ukraine will not be able to guarantee its security “solely with its own forces” and will require U.S. support.
This week, European Commission (EC) President Ursula von der Leyen presented a plan to mobilize around 800 billion euros in defense investments. Her proposal includes a new financial instrument with 150 billion euros, which will provide member states with loans backed by the EU budget for defense investments.
It also suggests giving countries more fiscal leeway to spend on defense without facing penalties for excessive deficits, as well as allowing the use of cohesion policy programs to increase defense spending.
“The most important thing now is to rearm Europe. We do not have much time. We must spend and spend on defense and deterrence—that is the message. And at the same time, we must continue supporting Ukraine. We want peace, and peace cannot be achieved without sustainable peace in Ukraine,” commented Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever said he will present plans to his government to allocate 2 percent of his country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to defense before 2029.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said that “although we may disagree on the modalities of peace, we agree that we must strengthen the defense capabilities of European nations, and these efforts must empower member states rather than the bureaucrats in Brussels.”
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson criticized Hungary’s reluctance to support Ukraine. “There is an overwhelming majority in favor of supporting Ukraine, but there is no unanimity. If Hungary wants to stand out and take the wrong side, that is its choice,” he said.
“This is not a beauty contest. We are right, and Hungary is wrong. Let’s not allow one small country to stand in the way of the many others that are larger,” he asserted.
Kaja Kallas, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, insisted that leaders should reach a “political agreement” today to strengthen Ukraine so that Kyiv “can end this war on its own terms,” even if specific aid figures have not yet been finalized. She also emphasized that the European Union must be part of any peace negotiations and the implementation of any eventual agreement.
teleSUR/ JF
Source: EFE