“If you want peace, you have to prepare for war,” said a top European Union figure, saying the EU needed to speak to Russia not just the language of diplomacy but also the “language of power.”
The world is changing and becoming less secure, and the European Union needs to “move into ‘war economy’ mode” to survive, says European Council President Charles Michel. Michel, a Belgian who runs the convening body for European Union leaders, said in an op-ed published Monday that if Russia does not stop its invasion of Ukraine, Europe will be its next target.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has already prompted the European Union to order the delivery of large quantities of ammunition to Ukraine, and the European Union is becoming a “geopolitical” presence in a new way, the president said, adding that the continent’s spending is running out. He has been playing defense for years. The comments echo those of European military leaders who have argued in recent months that the post-Cold War era is over and that a “peace dividend” of lower military spending will free up resources for other parts of the economy. There is.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg says Western countries need to prepare for a ‘long war in Ukraine’https://t.co/Wi7uT8P4i0
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Michel said: “For decades, Europe has underinvested in our security and defense. Today, we face the greatest security challenge since World War II. We need to build up our defense preparedness because we are in the midst of a crisis. This requires a fundamental and irreversible change in our thinking towards a strategic security mindset…If we want peace, we need to build up our defense preparedness. We have to prepare.”
He said Russia was already trying to “destabilize” other European countries and, if left unchecked, posed a “serious military threat” to Europe. Michel claims that opposition to this view by those who claim that “Ukraine doesn’t matter to us, that it is draining our budget and dividing us” is telling “blatant lies” and dismissed them as “Kremlin propaganda.”
Although the language of preparing for war to guarantee peace is closely aligned with actual NATO doctrine, this harsh language highlights the rapid change in European attitudes. In recent years, even after Russia first invaded Ukraine in 2014, many European countries, including major powers like Germany, have been content to spend as little as possible on their military and leave the burden to the United States. However, that is now rapidly changing. They predict a worsening security situation.
While the West is not ready to fight the “whole-of-society event” war he believes is coming, as Admiral Rob Bauer, the highest-ranking military officer at NATO headquarters, expressed in January, former NATO The commander warns that “effective deterrence means military capability and strength.” General Richard Shirreff said, “NATO may exist now as the West faces a potential existential threat. It is existential for Ukraine, but this war is not just a war against Ukraine.” Let’s not forget: it’s a war with the West. It’s a war against NATO, it’s a war against Ukraine’s participation in the West.
Putin is currently waging ‘war against NATO and the West’ in Ukraine, EU official claims https://t.co/UpCDAQ8r6y
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“The only way to prevent this war from turning into something far worse, involving all of us, is through effective deterrence.” NATO countries will do what President Teddy Roosevelt did for the United States. “He’s soft-spoken, but he has to carry a big cane,” he said.
Indeed, Michel’s comments embody this increasingly widespread view, with the politician saying: The EU needed to change accordingly…a stronger Europe would also help strengthen the NATO alliance and lead to stronger collective defence. ”
While these views—that Europe can avoid war with Russia through the deterrence of a strong, ready-to-fight military base—may represent the majority view, actual conflicts are not something to consider. Some people take the position that there is. French President Emmanuel Macron is the leader of this faction in Europe’s NATO countries, which argues that eliminating the actual allied forces fighting Russia is admitting final defeat. As reported, Eastern European countries, which are closest to Europe and feel the greatest threat from Moscow, appear most likely to support this view, with some of them weighing in on support for Paris last week. This includes Lithuania, which argued that we should not fear Russia’s response and that “we need it.” This is to ensure Ukraine’s victory in this war. ”
Top security forum warns that Europe is ‘entering an era of war’ https://t.co/nl9Xw9zLt4
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