Titled: Tense Europe: Ukraine's Urging for Allied Action Against Russia's Hostility
The recent bombardments from Russia have intensified Ukraine's plea for its allies to relax restrictions on using weapons. Yet, Germany and the USA tread warily, fearing to provoke Russia in this delicate predicament.
Ukraine's Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, passionately requested the Europeans to urge the USA and Britain for authorization to strike military targets within Russia's heartland, not just in the Kharkiv region, during a Brussels meeting.
Virtual meetings with defense ministers discussed a myriad of issues, including the expansion of the EU's training mission for Ukraine (EUMAM Ukraine).
Josep Borrell, the EU's top diplomat, echoed the EU's intention to train 60,000 Ukrainian soldiers by year's end—a whopping 10,000 more than initially planned. To reach this goal, the EU is contemplating setting up a new coordination center in Kyiv, Borrell hinted.
Germany's Parliamentary State Secretary for Defense, Thomas Hitschler, revealed Germany's plans to train 10,000 Ukrainian soldiers by the end of the year, with the training happening "in Germany," Hitschler emphasized.
Emmanuel Macron, France's president, advocated for the EU to allow training Ukrainian soldiers within Ukraine itself, instead of training them in member states as before. However, Germany vehemently opposes this idea, citing potential conflict with Russia and the dangers to the soldiers.
Estonia"—a staunch supporter—backed Macron's stance, with Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur stating, "You can't box without using both hands." The Netherlands and Latvia also showed interest in joining the discussion. Notably, consensus within the EU is imperative, Pevkur stressed.
The defense ministers are also discussing the G7 group's pledge to offer Ukraine a €50 billion loan. The EU plans to use the earnings from frozen Russian assets for this purpose, though specifics are still unclear. The chaos in Gaza is also being addressed. The new chair of the Defense Committee in the European Parliament, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann (FDP), is key to these debates.
Under Josep Borrell's leadership, the European Union aims to train 60,000 Ukrainian soldiers by the end of the year, with a possible new coordination center emerging in Kyiv.
While France's Emmanuel Macron insists on training Ukrainian soldiers within Ukraine, Germany, an EU member, expresses reservations because of potential conflicts with Russia, the risks to the soldiers, and political considerations. But it's not just the threat of conflict that keeps Germany cautious; it's also the broader political landscape, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's stance, and general reluctance among Germans to dispatch troops to Ukraine.
[1]
[3]
[4]
