European strategic autonomy or dependence vis-à-vis Washington? Emmanuel Macron and Olaf Scholz put back on the table, Friday, February 17 during the Security Conference in Munich, the question of the air defense of Europe with divergent projects for the time being.
The French President announced a “conference on the air defense of Europe” in Paris bringing together Germany, Italy and Great Britain in particular. It “will make it possible to address this subject from the industrial angle, with the participation of all European industrialists who have solutions to offer, but also from the strategic angle by including the question of nuclear deterrence”, he added. He specifies. The date has not yet been set.
The fact that Russian aviation has failed to take control of European skies is a sizeable argument to encourage Europe to strengthen its control of the air. If the strategic nature of the air defense file is admitted by all the member countries, the means of responding to it divide the 27.
Germany adopts a “shield of the sky”
The German Chancellor had revoked a controversial subject a few days before: Berlin is going to equip itself with an anti-missile and anti-aircraft shield, an assembly of European (Iris-T), American (Patriot) and potentially American-Israeli (Arrow ballistic missile defense system) systems -3). “We are making progress in the joint development of European capabilities. The “European Sky Shield” initiative, launched by Germany to strengthen the air defense of Europe within the framework of NATO, is proof of this”, had– he adds.
The future German “European Sky Shield” has attracted 14 NATO countries, including the United Kingdom, the Baltic countries and even Belgium, the Netherlands, Finland and Norway. But he did not convince Poland and he hardly enchants the Elysée, where an adviser is alarmed to AFP about a possible “relaunch of the arms race in Europe”. And Paris prefers to continue to bet on its own MAMBA medium-range ground-to-air defense system.
The issue of nuclear deterrence is another sticking point. The Elysee Palace recalled on Friday the need to take into account not only “missile defense but also deep strikes and nuclear deterrence”. “At a time when all Europeans are rearming, it is important to show that it is European sovereignty that is consolidated”, adds the same source.
NATO chief encourages Ukraine’s allies
“We must give Ukraine what it needs to win and survive as an independent sovereign nation in Europe,” NATO chief Jens Stolleberg is expected to say in a speech to the Munich conference on Saturday February 18. . Russian President Vladimir “Putin is not planning peace, he is planning more wars”, he believes, while NATO fears a forthcoming major offensive by Russian forces. There is “no indication that he has changed his ambitions”, mobilizing “hundreds of thousands of troops” and procuring “more weapons from authoritarian countries such as Iran and North Korea “, also warns Stollenberg.
The day before, the French President called for “intensifying” support for Ukraine, while German Chancellor Olaf Scholz – who will be received at the White House on March 3 – pleaded for faster deliveries of tanks, who has long been accused of dragging his feet in support of the Ukrainian army. These announcements followed repeated and strong calls from Volodymyr Zelensky to his allies to show more “speed” in the delivery of weapons, to save more Ukrainian lives.
Joe Biden in Warsaw with a “message” for Putin
The American President will come to mark the first anniversary of the war in Ukraine by visiting Poland on Tuesday February 21 and Wednesday February 22. He will meet the President there and deliver a solemn speech. However, he should not go to Ukraine, nor meet Volodymyr Zelensky, already received in the United States in December. The USA is by far the main supporter of the country: the military, economic and humanitarian aid that it has provided or approved since the beginning of the conflict now exceeds 100 billion dollars.
From Warsaw, the goal of the American leader will be to “send a message to Vladimir Putin as much as to the Russian people”, indicated the spokesman of the National Security Council John Kirby. During his previous visit to Poland, less than a year ago, the 80-year-old Democrat made an impression by calling Russian President Vladimir Putin a “butcher” and saying he “could not stay in power. “.
The US President will also meet with Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “We can proudly say that our support for Ukraine remains unwavering and that the international coalition supporting Ukraine is stronger than ever,” assured Joe Biden, repeating that the United States would support Kiev “as long as ‘it should’.
The IMF will support Ukraine
Kyiv should be able to apply for financial support from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). After conducting a thorough review of the country’s policies, the institution agreed to extend its support to the country, stating that it could be used to support the Ukrainian government’s efforts towards EU membership. The country has officially been a candidate for European Union membership since June 2022, an arduous process requiring many reforms that could take years but which Kyiv hopes to speed up.
The head of mission of the economic institution in Ukraine, Gavin Gray, had reported in December of needs for the budget and the functioning of the country estimated between 40 and 57 billion dollars for 2023. “In 2022, the economy will contracted by 30%, a less severe contraction than expected”, but “the short-term outlook has deteriorated” since December, he added, considering however that “a gradual economic recovery is expected during the ‘year”.
In the event of validation by the management of the IMF, “a full-fledged program would support the efforts of the Ukrainian government with a view to joining the EU”, commented Gavin Gray. “In particular, reform initiatives aimed at improving the productivity and competitiveness of the private sector must be advanced to help lay the foundations for robust post-war growth,” the official detailed.