The leaders of the European Union are meeting this Thursday and tomorrow Friday in Versailles with a busy schedule to say the least. The decisions made will be decisive…
In fact, notice The Parisian“ Never has Europe, which is said to be advancing through crises, held a summit in such a dramatic context, with war on its doorstep. Or rather within it, Ukraine ‘being part of the European family’, as diplomats assure President Volodymyr Zelensky who has just signed a formal application for membership of the European Union. The response — or not — to this call for help, joined by two other threatened ex-Soviet republics, Moldova and Georgia, will be one of the big chunks of the informal summit of the Twenty-Seven », points again The Parisian. ” The other urgent files being that of the new sanctions against Russia and the means of getting out of our energy dependence vis-à-vis Putin’s gas and oil. And that of defense Europe, so that the security of the Old Continent no longer rests exclusively or almost on NATO, the Atlantic Alliance dominated by Americans who increasingly have their minds elsewhere, to the Chinese challenge, especially. »
Protect yourself better…
So what results can be expected from this summit on the military level? Le Figaro begins to hope…” Under the pressure of the Russian ogre, it may be that this time we prefer efficiency to plans on the comet. A group of experts suggests starting with the rise of a solid European pillar within NATO, a way of overcoming competition that has no place to exist, then developing a proactive industrial policy, in order to to reduce a state of dependence contrary to the very principle of sovereignty. so far, relief Le Figaro, European battalions were cobbled together with great difficulty and proved to be almost unusable, as the engagement procedures remain cumbersome and complex. European citizens simply want their national armies to be strong enough to protect them and coordinated enough to fight effectively alongside their allies. Is it so difficult? »
Europe is rearming…
” Today and tomorrow at Versailles, precise for its part La Croix, the Twenty-Seven must lay the groundwork for the summit of March 24 and 25 in Brussels, supposed to establish the famous ‘strategic compass’ of the EU. A sort of ‘white paper’ setting the main guidelines for European security and defense until 2030. The new version of this text, drafted after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, takes note of the upheaval in the geopolitical order. The document goes from 34 to 41 pages. »
La Croix quotes an excerpt from it: a more hostile security environment requires us to leap forward and increase our capacity and will to act, strengthen our resilience and ensure solidarity and mutual assistance. »
And therefore, continues The cross“ the leaders of the Member States have outbid (in recent times) spectacular announcements, with extraordinary military means, like the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz who is going to devote 100 billion euros to the modernization of his army. (…) Poland, neighboring Ukraine, will increase the defense effort to 3% of its GDP next year (against 2.2% today). Finland and Sweden are preparing to join NATO. And what about Denmark? Copenhagen, which had accepted the Maastricht Treaty on the condition of not taking part in the common defense policy, is going to organize a referendum next June to pick up the ranks. He too has pledged to reach the standard of 2% of GDP in military spending by 2033. »
” Why Putin skates »
In the meantime, the Russian army is continuing its advance in Ukraine, but very slowly… much more slowly than the Moscow strategists had no doubt expected. “ Why Putin skates “, title Release. The newspaper details strategic waverings, logistical problems, and intelligence failures… Comment by Freed : “ yes, the Russian army can still destroy Ukraine, but can it rule it? Putin’s adversaries stare in disbelief at the images of bogged down tanks, bogged down convoys, haggard and starving soldiers, of this supposed blitzkrieg war that is on the way to becoming a nightmare of sleeping deterrence. »