Why few European international locations are volunteers for sending troops | EUROtoday

On Feb 18, 2025

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DOnald Trump was stored knowledgeable earlier than and after the eight assembly in Paris, on the Elysée. Emmanuel Macron spoke with the American president about twenty minutes earlier than the assembly and knowledgeable him of the content material of the discussions after the assembly.

That is to say if Europeans don’t take into account the way forward for their safety with out now Washington. The message is evident: nothing will likely be carried out in Europe with out coordination with the American president who, for his half, despatched his emissaries to Saudi Arabia to begin a primary dialogue with the representatives of Vladimir Putin. According to Marco Rubio, the American Secretary of State, it’s only a query of verifying Putin’s actual want to make peace in Ukraine.

In Paris, the casual assembly was not meant to make selections. Neither the format-with the United Kingdom on board-nor the participants-twenty international locations of the European Union (EU)-allowed it. It was subsequently a query of testing collectively some concepts on the safety ensures that Europeans may carry to Ukraine and on the necessity to substitute, undoubtedly inside a short while, in American army help for Ukrainian forces. Other, wider conferences to return, will contain the twenty-seven EU international locations.

France and the United Kingdom for an interposition pressure

If the leaders current across the desk have demonstrated their capability to mobilize shortly, the unit stops there. The Italian Giorgia Meloni took care to reach with fifty minutes late, aboard a Maserati – the Italians deal with their entries – to indicate that she entered this cenacle with the reluctance of a “Trumpist”, Little keen to affix the European choir.

The variations between Europeans on the technique appeared clearly. The query of the potential sending of European troops to Ukraine just isn’t unanimous. On the one hand, Paris and London already sketch the contours of a pressure of 25,000 to 30,000 males, together with 10,000 French, supported by the Scandinavian international locations and the Balts.

The Danish Prime Minister places Frederiksen didn’t disguise her issues: “Russia threatens all Europe. We should put together for the likelihood that struggle strikes to a different European nation. So a lot for the hawks.

Scholz brakes, meloni refuses, Sanchez elude

On the opposite, a block led by Germany and Italy firmly opposes it. Chancellor Scholz judges the thought “completely premature and inappropriate”, whereas Giorgia Meloni describes her as “ineffective solution”. Spain and Poland are within the camp of the reluctant.

In the Netherlands, if the Schoof authorities is open to dialogue, the primary occasion within the Parliament and member of the federal government coalition, the PVV of Geert Wilders (typically described as prorussian), categorically opposes it.

Pedro Sanchez was probably the most prolix supervisor on the exit of the assembly by bringing collectively journalists on the Spanish Embassy in Paris. “We are a committed ally, not only in words but also in acts,” he stated, citing the bilateral safety settlement of a billion euros signed with kyiv in 2024.

But for Madrid, the precedence stays to keep away from any threat of climbing. Pedro Sanchez slightly pleads for a 3 -step method: first assure the continuity of army and humanitarian help to Ukraine, then work on a “fair and lasting” peace actively involving the EU in negotiations, and at last strengthening the ‘European safety structure.

Spend extra to defend oneself

“We cannot make mistakes of the past,” he insisted, referring to the Minsk agreements trampled as signed, “a peace is necessary that consolidates international law and the territorial integrity of nations”. This median place, which rigorously avoids the delicate query of sending troops, displays the inner balances of the Spanish coalition, the place Sumar, the leftist companion of the PSOE, has at all times been reluctant to a army climbing of the battle.

Read too How the invasion of Ukraine modified the protection of GermanyHowever, a consensus emerges on the necessity to strengthen European protection. The goal of the two % of GDP devoted to army spending is now removed from being adequate. Taking up a current proposal from the European Commission, Germany desires to go additional by proposing to exclude these bills from the calculation of Maastricht’s deficits, a revolution for Berlin, historically guardian of budgetary orthodoxy.

In Germany, loosen the “debt brake”

This growth would mark a historic turning level for Germany however ought to be confirmed by the successor to Chancellor Scholz. A couple of days earlier than the election, every part signifies that the CDU candidate, Friedrich Merz, holds the rope. Chancellor Scholz, confronted with the constitutional constraints of “Schuldenbremse” (Debt brake), clearly posed the phrases of the talk.

“To finance the Bundeswehr permanently, we need at least 30 billion euros per year, which is only possible if we exclude these expenses from the budgetary rules,” he stated. It will undoubtedly be the place of the SPD inside a future authorities coalition with the CDU. Check on Sunday, February 23, after the polling stations are closed.

The President of the Spanish authorities insists: “Peace in Ukraine and European safety are two sides of the identical medal. This imaginative and prescient is shared by Ursula von der Leyen who affirms that “Ukraine deserves a peace obtained by force”, calling for a “strengthening of defense in Europe”.

Meloni: “No security in Europe without the United States”

The different fracture line issues the connection with Washington. Emmanuel Macron pushes his thought of European “strategic autonomy”. A imaginative and prescient that comes up towards the assumed Atlanticism of a number of companions. “There should be no security division between Europe and the United States,” insists Olaf Scholz.

Giorgia Meloni drives the purpose dwelling: “No safety in Europe with out the United States. It just isn’t sure that each one European leaders interpret the current declarations of Donald Trump or his representatives in the identical method. Not everybody has the identical studying of the extent of American disengagement …

Lithuanians, extra uncovered to Russian threat, have a extra pessimistic imaginative and prescient than that of Meloni: “Donald Trump cannot unilaterally promise Putin to return to the enlargement of NATO, as this would require the agreement of all members “Note Gabrielus Landsbergis, the Lithuanian Minister for Foreign Affairs. “But Trump can simply remove American troops from the eastern flank, which would have almost the same effect. »»

Putin attacks and Europeans make “white pods”

On the conditions of future peace, Olaf Scholz is categorical: “Ukraine cannot accept dictated peace. Except that, for the moment, President Zelensky is not invited to the first discussions between Washington and Moscow … Pedro Sanchez insists on three prerequisites: the active involvement of Ukraine and the EU in negotiations, strengthening of the multilateral order, and the emergence of a stronger European Union.

To uncover

The kangaroo of the day

Answer

The president of the European Commission guarantees proposals each on help for Ukraine and on the event of European protection. A white paper of European protection should be provided on the finish of March by Commissioner Kubilius. It’s a bit late …

And it isn’t the primary: Europeans have already geared up themselves with a “strategic compass” in March 2022, which remained within the state of fairly report in a drawer. In phrases of protection, it takes a number of years to improve. However, the wants are for now, if not yesterday.

https://www.lepoint.fr/monde/ukraine-pourquoi-peu-de-pays-europeens-sont-volontaires-pour-l-envoi-de-troupes-18-02-2025-2582671_24.php