European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned the United States against colluding with Russia over Ukraine. “A failed Ukraine weakens Europe, but it also weakens the United States,” she said in a speech at the Munich Security Conference on Friday, February 14. She urged US President Donald Trump to work with Europeans to achieve a “just peace” for Ukraine.
Von der Leyen also said that Russian President Vladimir Putin must prove that he does not intend to continue the war against Ukraine before scheduled talks with Trump. “He must show that he has abandoned his intention to destroy Ukraine,” the EU president said.
If Russia is not forced to make peace “by force,” it creates the impression that authoritarian forces can invade neighboring countries without consequences, violating the borders established by international law. This will also exacerbate problems in the Indo-Pacific region, she warned the Chinese delegation.
Ways for EU countries to increase defense spending
As von der Leyen noted, she intends to open up new opportunities for increasing defense spending by activating a special clause in European debt rules - the “general clause,” which allows EU countries in extreme situations to temporarily waive strict budgetary discipline and exceed the permissible limit on public debt. This clause was used in practice, in particular, in connection with the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. “I propose to activate this rule for defense investments,” the head of the European Commission said. “This would allow EU member states to significantly increase their defense spending.”
Von der Leyen’s proposal is based, among other things, on the threats posed by Russia and the US’s stated intention to take less responsibility for European security policy in the future, the dpa agency explained. The demand for a significant increase in defense spending came from Donald Trump, who wants European NATO members to spend five percent of their gross domestic product on defense in the future. Germany and many other countries would have to double this spending.
According to European Commission experts, about 500 billion euros in additional defense investment will be needed over the next decade. Potential new military projects for the EU include a European air defense system and strengthening security on the EU’s eastern land border. Follow “Zamin” news on “Telegram”
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