EU foreign ministers met on Monday 24 January in Brussels, with in-depth discussions on the Sahel on the agenda. But it is above all the situation in Ukraine which monopolized the attention of the Twenty-Seven. They had a remote meeting with their American counterpart Antony Blinken, while President Biden for his part was to discuss with the allies of the United States. Washington increases the pressure on Moscow. Macron proposes a meeting in Paris.
A great unanimity and a great determination to face the situation, this is how the Twenty-Seven summed up their debates on Ukraine on Monday.
These assertions remain of the order of the speech, however explains our correspondent in Brussels, Pierre Benazet. Because even if the Europeans say they have sanctions that can be triggered at any time in the event of Russian aggression, they stubbornly refuse to detail them.
Don’t divulge anything is part of the deterrence “assumes the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell.
Nothing likely to reinforce the fear of Europeans
After the quasi-mobilization announced by NATO, after the fears of Russian aggression formulated by Washington, the EU is in fact seeking to calm people’s minds, to avoid nervous breakdowns and alarmist remarks, in the words of Ms. Borrell.
We are united in our approach to challenges to European security.
Taking concrete actions, advancing on diplomatic track and stepping up support to Ukraine.
Should diplomacy fail, we are well advanced to respond to a potential aggression.#CAFhttps://t.co/u0jLQ9LPWa pic.twitter.com/9GfqZko97c
— Josep Borrell Fontelles (@JosepBorrellF) January 24, 2022
The Twenty-Seven met in the afternoon with their American counterpart Antony Blinken and they conclude that it is useless to evacuate non-essential personnel as the British.
There is nothing new, insists the head of European diplomacy, who stresses that the negotiations with Russia were conducted by the United States in full coordination with the EU, and who believes that there is no There is nothing, for the moment, which is likely to reinforce among Europeans the fear of an imminent attack.
►Read also: Resignation of the head of the German Navy after remarks on Ukraine
Macron will propose a “path of de-escalation” to Putin
This Monday evening, the French President, Emmanuel Macron, on the contrary made it known that he wished to speak with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during an interview ” in the next few days and insist on to propose a ” de-escalation path “.
” We are concerned, we are also very careful not to create ambiguity, additional volatility “, insists the French presidency. France, but also Germany, Russia and Ukraine will even organize a meeting on Wednesday in Paris on Ukraine at the level of diplomatic advisers, concludes Paris.
For their part, still this Monday evening, the United States are trying to ensure that they have ” no discrepancy with the Europeans, neither about the unprecedented sanctions to be imposed on Russia in the event of an invasion of Ukraine, nor about the urgency of the threat. ” We know it and, above all, the Russian Federation knows it they say.
Washington places 8,500 military personnel on alert
But Washington persists and also signs: the United States has already placed up to 8,500 soldiers on alert. The latter could be deployed within NATO troops in the event of an invasion of Ukraine by Russia, explains the Pentagon spokesman.
” It is very clear, adds Ned Price, that the Russians currently have no intention of starting a de-escalation “. No decision” has not been taken on a deployment of forces outside of the United States at this time “, he specifies on the other hand.
In this context, ” the exchange of views with Antony Blinken was very useful in continuing to determine the way forward and very close coordination », sums up Josep Borell.
►Headline: Europeans do not want to “dramatize tensions” around Ukraine
EU intends to give Kiev more money as soon as possible
France advises its nationals to postpone non-essential travel to Ukraine, although Paris is not evacuating the families of its diplomats as ordered by the United States.
As for the European Commission, for the time being, it is proposing to strengthen its financial support for Ukraine with an additional envelope of 1.2 billion euros. This new emergency envelope will double the bilateral aid allocated to Kiev in the form of a grant this year.
However, the timeline remains unclear. Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the Commission, simply specified that a first tranche of 600 million euros would be disbursed ” quickly if the Parliament and the member countries quickly gave the green light.
Ukraine has already significantly increased its defense budget
This money is to help Ukraine meet its conflict-related financial needs. Charges that come as the Ukrainian economy has not escaped the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic – charges that have increased in recent years.
Since the start of the conflict with pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country, Ukraine has greatly increased its defense budget. It rose, according to the World Bank, from 1.5% of GDP in 2013 to more than 4% in 2020, recalls Pauline Gléize, from RFI’s economics department.
Since 2014, the European Union has already paid 17 billion euros to Kyiv in the form of grants and loans. Ukraine also benefits from an IMF aid programme.
►Read also: London accuses Moscow of seeking to install a pro-Russian leader in Kiev
Moscow denounces a “hysteria”
In this whole affair, Moscow denounces a “ hysteria », and accuses the United States and NATO « exacerbate tensions through announcements and concrete actions “.
What Russia is asking for is a written commitment on the non-enlargement of the Atlantic Alliance to Ukraine and Georgia. Moscow would also appreciate a withdrawal of the organization’s forces and armaments from the countries of Eastern Europe that joined the ranks after 1997, notably from Romania and Bulgaria. ” Non-negotiable for Westerners.
Moscow assures that it has no intention of intervening in Ukraine, but on the other hand supports the claims of the pro-Russian separatists of the self-proclaimed republics of Lugansk and Donetsk, in the east of the country. Russia has also massed more than 100,000 troops, tanks and artillery borders.
“The United States will now respond in writing”
The Atlantic Alliance, for its part, has a rapid reaction force of 40,000 soldiers, currently under French command. Corn “ The United States will now respond in writing to Russia’s requests, and we have been consulted on that response. “says Josep Borrell.
A new meeting would be scheduled between Antony Blinken and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov.
A videoconference was also to take place on Monday evening between President Biden, President Macron, Chancellor Scholz, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Polish President Andrzej Duda, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Council President Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen.
►To re-read: On Ukraine, NATO takes stock of its system in the East, the EU procrastinates